


law!verse

by caleyedoscope



Category: DBSK | Tohoshinki | TVfXQ | TVXQ
Genre: F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-13
Updated: 2017-04-25
Packaged: 2018-10-18 13:17:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 29
Words: 103,083
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10617672
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/caleyedoscope/pseuds/caleyedoscope
Summary: TVXQ/JYJ in law school and beyond. Archiving here for people that keep asking for a PDF. My first fic ever, originally written in 2009. Please don't judge me for this and read my new stuff.Thanks for all the love over the years <3 I can't even believe it sometimes.





	1. The Naked Man

**Author's Note:**

> no really, this was my first fic ever DON'T JUDGE ME

"Junsu.  _Junsu._ "

Junsu looked up from his last minute reading and glowered at his friend.  "What, Min?"

"There is a _naked man_ walking across campus."

"Min, I need to read this chapter in five minutes; can you save the lame jokes until after class, please?"

"Junsu, I can see his ass and...and stuff."

"You must love it then.  Free porn!" Junsu refused to succumb to Changmin's attempt to distract him.  Junsu was sure it was because Changmin wanted to ensure himself the highest grade in the class.  Junsu ignored his friend's angry mutters and went back reading.

Three minutes later, Jaejoong tore into the room, an incredulous expresssion on his face.  "MInnnniieee!!" he squealed, making Junsu mutter about classroom conditions, "Dearest MinMin!  Guess what?  Oh...hi, Junsu."

Junsu leveled a glare at his friend, shaking the textbook under his nose.

Jaejoong tsked and jumped onto the desk in front of Changmin.  "Changmin, you. will .die.  There is a _naked man_ walking the hallways. "

"I TOLD YOU."  Junsu winced as Changmin screamed in his ear.

"You're both in on it.  You want Yunho to murder me for not finishing my reading so that he will love you both more. I will not believe you."

"Junsu," Jaejong cooed, "I swear on my secret love for Jung that I legitimately saw a gorgeous, naked, man with nothing but a book bag on his back."

"Your love is not secret, it is unrequited.  Let me read."

"He was so _hot_ , Junsu.  Nothing like my Yunnie, but you know..."  Jaejoong's eyes glazed over.

In utter frustration, Junsu slammed his book down on the desk in front of him and stood up yelling, "I don't care if there is a fucking orgy going on, let me READ so I don't FAIL."

The edgy silence that followed told Junsu that perhaps he had yelled a bit louder than he had meant to and when his apologetic bow did nothing to stop the awkward shifting he turned to find his professor leaning against the blackboard, a very amused expression on his face.

"What are you failing, Junsu?"

"Um...nothing...at the moment." Junsu sat back down, nervously drumming his fingers against his thigh.

"Good to hear.  I thought for a moment you were referring to the reading I assigned and I was afraid that maybe you wouldn't be prepared for the quiz I have for you today."

There was a collective groan at this announcement and Junsu felt his mouth go dry.  Jung Yunho's quizzes were never things you wanted to be unprepared for.  Ever.  They weren't even quizzes really, all the students called them quizams.

"It sounds like some of you forgot...or maybe I forgot to mention it?"  Junsu had a sudden urge to wipe the self-satisfied smirk from his professor's face.  "Lucky for you, I've decided to post-pone it until next class."  Junsu could have peed with relief.  He glanced at Jaejoong (whose face had paled at the mention of the word quiz) and watched his friend wipe is forehead (he really had broken out into sweat.) 

"The copier wasn't working," Jung Yunho continued his explanation, "must have been an act of God..."

Junsu heard several muttered prayers to said deity and decided to offer one up on his own.  

"Also...someone added this class, anyone here new? What was the name?" 

Junsu calmed his beating heart and patted Jaejoong on the back comfortingly.  It would have been a terrible thing to fail a quiz from your favorite professor...who you happened to be not-so-secretly in love with.  "Study session tomorrow?"  Junsu murmured as Jung ruffled through papers to find his attendance list.  Jaejoong nodded fervently.

"Hey.  Don't leave me out." Changmin was pouting.

"You're brilliant.  You never need to study."

"I study all the time."

"Tch."

"Park.  Park Yoochun."  Yunho looked around the room carefully and Junsu heard Jaejoong sigh with longing. "No?" Yunho looked at the clock on the wall and quirked his mouth. "Well, he has a minute."

Junsu swallowed.  He had come to class late one day...it had not been a fun experience.

A few seconds before the digital clock turned to 12:00, the door opened and Junsu felt his jaw drop as a butt-naked man walked into the door like he was worth a million dollars.  Junsu had to admit, the man did _look_ like a million dollars.

"I _told_ you," Changmin muttered under his breath. "Naked."

"Oh, _God_ ," Junsu heard one of the girls breath.

Junsu slid his gaze to Yunho, holding his breath.

"He is so dead," Changmin whispered.

"Kick that nekkid ass, Yunnie," Junsu heard Jaejoong mumble and for once, Junsu was extraordinarily happy that he was in one of the hardest classes at the University with one of the hardest (but best) professors.  Shit like this wouldn't be tolerated.  It wouldn't.

"You must be Park Yoochun," Yunho smiled disarmingly at the man.

"In the flesh."

"You're right on time...barely.  You must have been in a rush."

"Not particularly."

"Are you sure?  You seem to have forgotten a few things."

A couple of guffaws were heard through the room.

"My clothes you mean?"

Yunho clicked his tongue. "How perceptive."

"I like being naked."

"And you assume that the rest of us enjoy seeing you naked?" Yunho countered, "You think your naked body is something to look at, do you?"

"Yes, actually, I do.  I think more people should walk around naked.  I was born this way, why should have I have live differently than the way I was born?"

"Park Yoochun you do realize that every girl in this room, perhaps even some of the boys, are now staring at your - and I do admit it is impressive - body and thinking of all the dirty and sexual things they can do to it?"

Even Junsu had a hard time not laughing at this.

"They wouldn't be human if they didn't, professor."

"You can just call me Yunho.  I'm not one for titles."

"Yunho, then."

"Tell me, Park Yoochun.  Do you mind them thinking these things about you?"

"Not really, Yunho."

"So you enjoy it then?"

Junsu sniggered. Damn _naked man_ deserved every jibe and Kim Junsu was going to enjoy every moment of it.

"I'm...indifferent."

"Tell me...Yoochun...what would you say if I told you  to march your naked self back to wherever your closet is and put some damn clothes on or I'd fail your sorry ass for the entire semester?"

"Seriously?'"

"Truthfully."

"He so would, too," Changmin murmured, "Jaejoong, help me, I think I'm falling for Yunho."

"If you fall for him, I will never feed you again.  Ever."

Changmin whimpered.

"I'd tell you to go fuck yourself.  I'll wear whatever I want to, or whatever I don't want to."

There was a silence before Yunho said, "Well, this is a law class so let me ask you this.  Aren't you afraid of being arrested?"

"For what?"

Yunho turned to the class and before he could even ask, Jaejoong said "Indecent exposure."  Yunho smiled at Jaejoong and Junso swore that he saw his friend melt slightly into his chair.

"I was arrested for that, actually."

"Then why are you standing here?" Junsu heard himself blurt out.

"The judge said that nudity without lewd behavior wasn't grounds for prosecution."

"Sorry," Junsu said sarcastically, "But I don't believe for a second that you're not lewd."

Yoochun smiled at him and Junsu could have sworn he head the grease dripping from his voice as he said, "Oh, I can be lewd...I'm just lewd with clothes on."

There was another incredibly awkward silence.  "Very well," Yunho said quietly, "You've impressed me.  You may have a seat.  But next class you will be here fully clothed or I will get you expelled.  Understood?"

"Perfectly."

"Excellent." 

Yunho let his eyes rake over the young man before him and Junsu heard Jaejoong murmur, "God, why doesn't he look at me like that.  Maybe I should come to class naked."

"Yunho knows you too well," Changmin muttered, "Bad idea."

Junsu nudged his friends when he noticed that Yunho was regarding them with a small smirk as if he had heard the exchange. _Shit. He did hear that._

"Tell me, Yoochun, do you always complete assigned readings?"

"Yes, Yunho."

"You can say no."

"I always read."

"Really?"

"If I'm lying, you can pick out my clothing for me for the entire semester."

Yunho's smirk grew.  "Excellent.  Sit next to Junsu, maybe you can teach him something."

There were titters and giggles heard through the room as Yunho pointed the way.

"Someone has a new favorite student~" Changmin sing-songed to Jaejoong.

"Shut up."

Junsu very studiously stared straightforward.  "Do not," he informed Park Yoochun, "talk to me."

"Frustration noted. Maybe you'll talk to me when I come to class clothed?"

Junsu ran an eye down Yoochun's body and then focused on opening his notes and preparing his hand for serious amounts of note-taking.  Yoochun _was_ hot, he couldn't deny it.  "Possibly."

Changmin snickered.

 


	2. The Lewd Man

“Let’s go sit with him.”   
    
“No.”   
    
“But he looks lonely.”   
    
“No.”   
    
“He’s wearing clothes...c’mon. I’m going to sit with him.  If you want to study with me you’ll just have to come along.”   
    
Junsu groaned.  It really was the last thing on earth that he wanted to do.  Eating lunch and studying for that damned quiz with Mr.Walking-Around-Naked-Is-Normal-You-Should-Try-It-Sometime was NOT how we wanted to spend his afternoon.  Apparently he was the only one.   
    
He watched in horror as Jaejoong trotted (correction: _joyfully_ trotted) to a lone picnic table, lunch tray balanced precariously on a stack of books, and sat next to Park Yoochun.  Damn Park Yoochun.   
    
“Hi.” Jaejoong said cheerfully, separating food and books causing his water to slosh dangerously.   
    
“Come on.”  Junsu ground his teeth at Changmin’s not-so-gentle poke into his back. “You said you’d talk to him when he was clothed.”   
    
“Possibly.  I said I’d _possibly_ talk to him.”   
    
“Whatever.  It’s the same thing.  Go and sit.”   
    
Muttering obscenities under his breath, Junsu imagined that Park Yoochun was Miss Korea and after sitting opposite him, somehow managed to force a smile.  “Hi.”   
    
“You decided to talk to me.” Yoochun seemed happy.   
    
“No, I was forced. Ow!” Junsu rubbed the spot on his head which had been thumped by Changmin’s textbook.   
    
“This is Changmin,” Jaejoong introduced, already chewing on a carrot stick, and you’ve met Junsu.”   
    
_Unfortunately._ Junsu supplied in his head, knowing that he might start losing brain cells if he said it out loud.   
    
Yoochun nodded to each of them.   
    
“So.  How did you like your first Jung class?” Jaejoong asked, “Isn’t he wonderful?”   
    
“Um...” Yoochun stared at Jaejoong, obviously slightly confused by the dreamy look spreading across the other man’s delicate features.   
    
“Jaejoong!  You’re scaring him,” Changmin made several threatening gestures at his friend while growling in his throat before turning to Yoochun. “Do you want to study with us now and later tonight? We’re going to Junsu’s dorm, he’s got one all to his lonely self.”   
    
“I am not lonely.” Junsu defended himself, “and don’t invite people over without asking me!”   
    
“Oh who cares, one more mind can’t hurt.”   
    
Junsu opened his mouth to protest but his words were lost as Jaejoong slid an arm around Yoochun and whispered conspiratorily, “we might even let you come naked.”   
    
There was a pregnant pause before Junsu said in his best _I’m so pissed at you I can’t yell_ voice, “Clothes are a _requirement_ in my living area.”   
    
He met Yoochun’s eyes and was displeased to see a smirk pulling at the corners of his mouth.  “This is a long established rule, is it?”   
    
“Since 2005,” Junsu said warily, suddenly sensing a verbal trap, “And very much observed.”   
    
“Even in your shower?”    
    
Junsu could see Changmin and Jaejoong leering in his peripheral vision.  “You’ve discovered my dirty secret.  That is the one exception to the rule.”   
    
“What?  No nakedness in the bedroom?”    
    
The leering turned into outright howls of laughter and Junsu made a mental note to give his friends false information for the quiz later, just to piss them off.  “No.  No bedroom nakedness whatsoever.”   
    
Yoochun clicked his tongue and slid Jaejoong’s textbook over to himself, apparently accepting Changmin’s offer.  “Such a pity.”   
    
~   
    
Much to Junsu’s displeasure, he ended up spending the entire day with Yoochun and he was beginning to think that his friends intended on making him a permanent part of their pack. (“No one else is befriending him, Junsu.” “You didn’t give them a chance, Jaejoong, you _pounced_ on him.” “Hehe.”) His only respite was when Changmin pulled him away after their last class of the day to go buy beer and pizza for dinner and late night snacking.   
    
When he and Junsu were safely behind the locked door of Junsu’s dorm, Jaejoong cornered his friend. “You need to give him a chance.”   
    
“I am.  He’s coming over isn’t he?”    
    
“Junsu, he looks at you like I look at Yunho.”   
    
“Hyung, there is no one on this earth who looks at anyone the way you look at Yunho.”   
    
“Have you even glanced at him long enough today to notice how he looks at you?  Regardless of which facial expression it is?”   
    
“I...well...”   
    
“He likes you, Junsu, I’ll bet you anything.  You don’t have to like him back, just stop being such a prick.”   
    
They were silent, setting the table, finding a sudden need to straighten bedding, before Changmin knocked on the door with Yoochun, three pizzas, and lots of beer in tow.   
    
“I told him three pizzas was a lot of food,” Yoochun began awkwardly, unsure of where to put the beer he was carrying.   
    
“Three’s perfect.  One for him, and two for the rest of us.  It’s fine, just don’t tell his girlfriend.  You can put the beer in the mini-fridge over there.”   
    
Yoochun looked genuinely surprised that Junsu had spoken more than five words to him and Junsu did momentarily feel bad for being an ass most of the day, but only momentarily.   
    
“You have a girlfriend?” Yoochun asked Changmin.   
    
“At Todai,” Changmin’s mouth was already full of cheese, dough, and pepperoni.  “We see each other during breaks and over summer.  She’s really smart; she’s studying to be a doctor.  OW! Jaejoong!”   
    
“Don’t talk with your mouth full, Shim Changmin.”   
    
“ _Hyung_ , you are not my mother.”   
    
“Soo Ae made me promise to make sure you broke that disgusting habit, so if that means that I must momentarily step aside from my manly self and take up the mantle of your mother, than so help me I will do just that, even though I may loose my sanity.”   
    
Yoochun laughed quietly and Junsu blocked the his two bickering friends out of his mind as he set out dishes and napkins (which Min hadn’t even bothered with.)     
    
“Are they always like that?”   
    
Junsu almost jumped when he felt Yoochun’s gentle breath on his neck.  But he restrained himself.  No satisfaction for Park Yoochun.  None.   
    
“Yeah most of the time.” Junsu turned around but found his way blocked by Park Yoochun’s perfect face.  Wait, did he just think that?  _Thanks, Jaejoong, thanks a lot_.  “Um, do you mind?”   
    
“Yes.”   
    
“Really, do you mind?”   
    
Junsu swallowed as Yoochun inched closer to his face, acutely aware that Jaejoong and Changmin had forgotten their quarrel and were watching the exchange with knowing expressions on their faces.   
    
“Do you hate me?”   
    
“What?”   
    
“Do you hate me?  You’ve been giving me the cold shoulder all day.”   
    
“I have not.”   
    
“Have to.  Anyone could have seen what a prick you were.”   
    
“I like him,” Junsu heard Jaejoong whisper to Changmin, “He’s so direct.”   
    
“Do they always do that?” Yoochun questioned.   
    
“Poking into other people’s business comes with being their friends.  It’s like eraser and pencil; you can’t have one without the other.  Can you please move?”   
    
“No.  Do you not like me because I showed up to class naked?”   
    
“I-” Junsu paused.  Maybe that was it. “I don’t know.  Maybe.”   
    
“Look,” Yoochun pressed in closer and Junsu swallowed as he felt their clothes brush each other. “I’m really sorry if I disturbed you, that wasn’t my intent at all.  I just...I heard that Yunho was really hard and difficult to impress, so I thought that if I made a statement, if I could argue that I had a right to sit in class naked he might...he’d be impressed.  I guess I’m still rather stupid, though, I didn’t really think about much beyond that.”   
    
It took Junsu a minute to process this information, then, before he could even help himself, he was laughing harder than he ever had in his entire life.  Yoochun stared confusedly at him for a minute before Junsu recovered enough to give him his first genuine smile of the day.  “Forgiven.  Oh my God that’s...I’m sorry I was a prick.  That you would do that to get on Jung’s good side...” Junsu dissolved into laughter again and Yoochun finally stepped away to let Junsu have some air that wasn’t filled with Yoochun’s exhaled oxygen and CO₂.   
    
Jaejoong stepped up to Yoochun’s side and said suspiciously, “You did that to impress my Yunnie?”   
    
“Be careful with your answer” Changmin had somehow materialized next to Yoochun to whisper  this advisement into his year (mouth still full of pizza), “Joongie might never speak to you again if you say the wrong thing.”   
    
“Um...” Yoochun swallowed hard, “He’s just...he’s a hard teacher, right?  I just wanted to um...make an impresssion.”   
    
Jaejoong relaxed and smiled.  “I like you,” he repeated his earlier statement.    
    
    
The group of three went chapter by chapter (three in all) memorizing definitions, cases, names, anything and everything until they could practically recite the chapters by heart (as well as their class notes).  They brainstormed possible questions, mixed elements of one case with another creating hypotheticals, acting out cases when it was too difficult to simply commit the details to memory.     
    
The pizza quickly disappeared, and once all the information was solidly in their brains, the beer disappeared even quicker.   
    
“My brain is going to explode,” Yoochun informed his new friends, his head lying on a pillow that had somehow found it’s way on the floor during their theatrical antics.  Junsu thought maybe it had been the “flying object” Changmin had chucked at him while Jaejoong had been “robbing a bank.”   
    
“Wait until there’s an exam.  We’ll start studying at least three weeks in advance.”   
    
Yoochun groaned.   
    
“I’m leaving.”  Jaejoong informed them, “Or I won’t remember anything tomorrow and I can’t allow my poor heart to go through that.  Changmin!  Let’s go.”   
    
Changmin mumbled something incoherently.   
    
“Min.  Get up.  Now.”  Changmin stood automatically, swaying slightly.  Jaejoong smiled at the other two men still lying on the floor, words and definitions still swirling in their vision.  “See you both tomorrow.”   
    
“I just need to lie here for another minute,” Yoochun informed Junsu when the pait had left.   
    
“S’fine,” Junsu mumbled, “I can’t really move either.”   
    
They fell into a companionable silence before Junsu heard Yoochun start to move.  However, instead of seeing him stand (as had been expected,) Junsu momentarily lost his breath when he found Yoochun’s face looming over his own.   
    
“Junsu...” Yoochun paused, almost dramatically, “can I kiss you?”   
    
_No,_ Junsu thought,  _you can’t.  I just met you, I just starting to think you weren’t a complete pervert, I don’t even know if I_ like _guys, I can’t even-_ “Sure,” Junsu heard himself say and then any mental head slapping or mental placing of foot in mouth was lost in the feel of Yoochun’s lips.   
    
Just completely and utterly gone.     
    
And then, before Junsu wanted the sucking, the nipping, the _breathlessness_ to stop, it did, and he was at a loss for words as Yoochun stared down at him.   
    
“Um...maybe I’ll just go.”   
    
“Maybe you should.   
    
“Yeah.”   
    
And then, when Yoochun walked out his door, Junsu kicked himself, but he wasn’t precisely sure why.   
    
    
PART TWO   
    
Junsu desperately wished that he did not have Yunho’s class the next day.  Even more so, he wished that he did not have it with Yoochun.  He would have skipped, but that was unthinkable for a Jung class; impermissible unless you had a (valid) catalysmic reason.   
    
He got there earlier than he normally would have, hoping that if he looked over his notes, he wouldn’t have to talk to Yoochun.   
    
Jaejoong was next to appear and he looked exahusted.  “Who the hell let Min buy so much beer?”  He grumbled.   
    
“I’d like to say Yoochun, but I know that’s not true.  Did it mess with your memory?”   
    
“Nope.  I recited everything perfect.  Took me from when I stepped into the shower til just now, but I got it.”  Jaejoong eyed Junsu’s notes.  “Are you okay?”   
    
“Huh?  Oh. Yeah.  Just...paranoid...you know.”   
    
Jaejoong narrowed his eyes suspiciously.  “When did Yoochun leave?”   
    
“Just after you did.  I’m not Changmin, Jae, you don’t need to mother me.”   
    
“Something happened,” Jaejoong stated, obviously elated at his conjecture, and Junsu felt his stomach drop, “Spill.  I want all the dirty, lewd, _naked_ details.”   
    
“Nothing happened,” Junsu mumbled, hoping his face wasn’t red.   
    
“Liar. You’re blushing.”   
    
Junsu swore.   
    
“I knew it.  Is his naked body as gorgeous as I remember?”   
    
“Jaejoong-ah!” Junsu covered his friends mouth, apprehensively eyeing a girl who had walked in with a stack of notes and a very frazzled look, “We didn’t-he just....we just kissed, that’s all.”   
    
Jaejoong crowed.   
    
“Make less noise.”   
    
Changmin shoved into his seat next to Junsu and Jaejoong reached over to pet his hair. “Ooh, did someone drink too much last night?  I hope you can take the test.”   
    
“Shut up.  I’m perfectly capable of test taking.  It is a silent activity. Why were you yelling?”   
    
Jaejoong snickered. “Ask Mr. I-totally-scored-last-night-and-refuse-to-admit-it.”   
    
Junsu’s fervent, “I didn’t!” was lost under Changmin’s squeal “Hyung, tell me!  Tell me tell me tell me!”   
    
“No.”   
    
“I’ll ask Yoochun.”   
    
“What will you ask me?”   
    
Junsu smirked as Changmin faltered and spluttered at Yoochun’s sudden appearance.     
    
“Did you sleep well, Junsu?”    
    
Junsu met Yoochun’s eyes past Min’s still blubbering head and found them slightly apprehensive.  Junsu managed to smile.  “Fine.  Just...dreams of failing.”   
    
“Failing again, Junsu?”   
    
All four men jumped at Yunho’s voice.  He stood in front of them, arms crossed, and Junsu realized how out of it the four of them really were to have not noticed him walk inside the room.   
    
“I don’t fail.”    
    
Yunho smiled.  “I hope not.” His eyes flicked to his new student.  “Yoochun,” he nodded, “it’s nice to see you clothed.”   
    
Junsu rolled his eyes as Yoochun let a greasy quirk twitch the corner of his mouth. “Only because you asked.”   
    
Yunho turned his attention to Jaejoong.  “I need to talk to you after class.  Come to my office later?”   
    
Jaejoong opened and closed his mouth once before saying, “Um...sure.  Fine.  After class.”   
    
“Great.”   
    
Yunho turned around and walked back to the front of the classroom.   
    
Junsu watched his friend take a deep breath.  “Yah,” Junsu said softly but harshly, “Did you cheat or something?”   
    
“Of course not.  Min, pinch me.  Did Yunho just ask me to follow him to his office after class?  Tell me quick.”   
    
“ _Jae_ ,” Changmin said, “He may have, but he’s probably fucking with your head to test you.  Focus on the quiz.”   
    
Jaejoong took another breath.  “One second of freak out time.”  he hid his face behind his hand so Yunho wouldn’t see and for a second exactly Junsu saw a ridiculously silly grin spread across his friend’s face.   
    
“Um...” Yoochun was watching with careful apprehension.   
    
“We went over this last night,” Changmin informed him, looking back to his notes after glancing at his watch (one minute left.)   
    
“Not really.”   
    
“Unrequited love.”  Changmin muttered softly.   
    
“Shut up,” Jaejoong hissed, “You liked Soo Ae for years before you did anything about it.   
    
“Whatever.  It’s still true.  You can’t do anything as a student anyway, so it’s totally a moot point.”   
    
Jaejoong reached across Junsu and smacked Min on his head.   
    
“ _Hyung._ ”   
    
“Notes away, people.”   
    
There was a small amount of nearly inaudible groaning heard throughout the room.  Yunho passed out the quizzes (Junsu nearly died when he counted six pages, the longest quiz yet, probably a record breaker.)   
    
“You have an hour.  As per usual, wait out in the hallway _silently_ until the time is up.”   
    
Five minutes into the test and a the door burst open to reveal a straggling student, breathing very hard.  Yunho looked up from his just opened newspaper, clearly very displeased.     
    
Junsu was aware of the entire class watching(minus Jaejoong who was writing furiously), pencils paused above papers.  Yunho always waited a few seconds for a student to blurt out an excuse.  If it was valid, he’d let them sit, if not...   
    
“Out.”  Yunho pointed to the door.   
    
“But-”   
    
“Out.  We can discuss the not-so-likely possibility of a make-up tomorrow.  I’ll be in my office until noon.  Out.”   
    
The student left and Junsu saw Yoochun swallow with the realization of how lucky he really had been last class period.     
    
    
Predictably, Jaejoong was the first one done, Changmin closely following.  Junsu was next and he walked out into the hallway to find Jaejoong stroking Min’s head.  “He missed a couple,” Jaejoong murmured.   
    
Junsu sat next to them and patted Changmin’s knee.  “So did I, Min, it’s fine.”   
    
“I knew them, though.  I _knew_ them.  How the hell do you remember all those little details, Jae?”   
    
Jaejoong shrugged.   
    
“Yunho,” Junsu supplied, resting his throbbing head on the wall.  “If it’s for Yunho, Jaejoong will remember anything.”   
    
Somehow, Junsu was not surprised when Yoochun was the next one to totter out and plop down next to Jaejoong.   
    
“How do you feel?” Jaejoong murmured.   
    
“Like overcooked ramyun.”   
    
Junsu couldn’t help but laugh.  Yoochun grinned at him and Junsu remembered what had happened the night before.  His laugh died at the same moment Yoochun’s smile dropped from his face.  Junsu swallowed and tore his gaze away.   
    
A few more students exited into the hallway before Yunho stuck his head out and told them to come back inside.  Junsu winced as he noticed the amount of students who hadn’t had enough time to finish the whole quiz.   
    
“Right, so...yes, Jaejoong?”   
    
“Please tell me you wouldn’t have really given that as a pop quiz.”   
    
“Ah...no.  Not really,” Yunho smiled at the collective sigh of relief, “However...”   
    
There was a pregnant, terrified pause.   
    
Yunho pulled out a sheaf of papers and began handing them out.  “Case report.  Next class.  No more of this once a week shit, I don’t know what I was thinking. I used to write twenty of these a week when we were slow.  So from now on, for every class pick a case, right a report.”   
    
“Fuck.”  Junsu heard someone mutter.   
    
“And I had better not get one paper with Wikipedia cited as a source.  You can’t use it out there, so you can’t use it in here.”   
    
“Does he read all this?”  Junsu heard Yoochun whisper to Changmin...too loudly...   
    
“I do, actually, Yoochun.  You see, I’m being paid to teach you how to be a good lawyer and how to survive in the real world as a good lawyer.  This is the work involved and if you don’t like it, you may leave my class and take your test with you.” Yunho smiled.  “One less thing for me to correct.”   
    
Yoochun stayed seated.  Junsu felt relieved.   
    
    
After class, Changmin rushed off to call Soo Ae and Jaejoong apprehensively followed Yunho up to his office mouthing _wait for me_ to Junsu.   
    
Junsu refused to look at Yoochun, feigning brain exhaustion as they waited in a student lounge for Jaejoong to reappear.  Junsu was splayed out in an armchair, contemplating a short nap, when he suddenly felt something grasp his wrist and yank him to his feet. “Wha-”   
    
“We need to talk.”     
    
Before Junsu could say anything, Yoochun pulled him down a hallways and into a deserted classroom.  Junsu found himself pushed up against the wall and could only manage to take a breath before Yoochun was kissing him like he would forget the feel of it.   
    
Junsu didn’t think he could ever, not the way Yoochun’s hand were on his clothes, trying to find _something, anything_ to grasp, or the way Yoochun’s mouth slid from Junsu’s lips to his jaw to find his neck and make him mewl quietly in his throat.   
    
“T-talk.” Junsu gasped.   
    
“Why?”  Yoochun murmured and Junsu’s whole body rumbled deliciously with Yoochun’s voice. “This is what I want to say.”   
    
Junsu moaned again as Yoochun’s body ground into his.  “Yoochun...”   
    
“Why are you ignoring me?” _Breath in his ear,_ “You always ignore me.” _Fingers finding skin,_   “Stop.” _Lips pulling the skin on his neck._   
    
“You make me incoherent,” Junsu managed to gasp, “I can’t even help it.”  But he complied and neither of them said anything intelligible for quite some time.   
    
    
_“Where the hell were you?”_   
    
“Sorry,” Junsu tried to appease a fuming Jaejoong as Changmin watched with folded arms like a father watching his children get scolded, “We just...”   
    
Jaejoong let his gaze sweep the length of Junsu’s body and then Yoochun’s.  “Okay, let me revise that.  What were you doing?”   
    
“Um...” Junsu flailed around in his brain for a diversion, “What did Yunho want?”   
    
Jaejoong’s face lit up, sufficiently distracted. “Oh!  He wants me to T.A!”   
    
“What?”  Junsu stopped mid-stride, causing Yoochun to bump into him.  Surprisingly, Junsu was not immediately enraged when Yoochun copped a feel of his ass for a quick second. _“It_ does _feel as good as it looks.”_ Junsu fought with himself so as not to blush as he remembered Yoochun’s whispered delight in his ear not ten minutes ago.   
    
“To be a Teacher’s Assistant, Junsu, over the summer.  They’ll pay me and everything.  He has two huge classes he needs help with and he said if goes well, I can help in the fall too.  Aaaaaand....he said quote: “I’m going to be bored out of my mind with a bunch of lazy asses who don’t know how to study and it’ll be fun to have you around.”  Junsu tried not to laugh;  Jaejoong was glowing.   
    
“That’s awesome, Jaejoong,” Yoochun smiled, “You deserve it.”   
    
Jaejoong smiled at him and then narrowed his eyes as he looked from Yoochun to Junsu. “Junsu, we need to have a nice, long chat.”   
    
“Why?” Junsu tried to sound non-chalant.   
    
Jaejoong turned to Changmin and linked arms with him.  “Did you notice, Minnie?”   
    
“It’s difficult not to.”   
    
“What?” Yoochun asked curiously, almost apprehensively.  Junsu swallowed, thoughts of his swollen lips and certain, unnamed bite marks he’d tried to hide making him nervous.   
    
Changmin giggled like he had a secret worth a million dollars. “You’re wearing each other’s jackets.” 


	3. The Art of De-Stressing

Jaejoong was almost completely positive that he had overworked his brain and it was going to leak out his ears at any moment.  He could imagine it slushing with each throb of his temple.  If it had been anyone else’s final and not Yunho’s he might have complained.   
    
Something invaded Jaejoong’s lap and he cracked an eye open to find Changmin pouting up at him. “Rub my temples, hyung.”   
    
Jaejoong muttered incoherently, attempting to push his roommate away.  “No energy.”   
    
“Rub,” Changmin insisted.   
    
“Aw, Joongie, what’s this? Were you finally deterred from your love?”   
    
Jaejoong managed to turn his head. “Don’t say stupid things, Yoochun, you’re going to be a lawyer.  And how are you so damn perky?”   
    
Changmin had taken control of Jaejoong’s hands and were pushing them insistently against his forehead.   
    
Yoochun grinned and Jaejoong realized that he probably shouldn’t have asked.  “ _I_ ,” Yoochun said, “have a boyfriend.”   
    
“Sleazeball.” Jaejoong muttered. “Aish, Min, _okay_.”   
    
Yoochun pftted and pushed Changmin’s legs away to make room for himself on the bed.  “I’m offended.  I said nothing sleazy.”   
    
“You don’t ever really have to,” Changmin informed the transfer student, eyes closing in a form of bliss as Jaejoong’s fingertips massaged away a dull ache, “your face is just naturally pornographic.”   
    
“Thank you?”    
    
“Did you just say pornographic?”  Jaejoong frowned down in a teasing manner at his dongsaeng and Changmin’s pout returned.  “Min,” Jaejoong made sure that his voice sounded slightly parental. “Does Soo Ae know that you know that you say that?”   
    
“What am I five?  Pornographic.  Pornography.  Smut.  Naked people.  Bite me, hyung, I’ll say what I want.”   
    
“You mean you’ll _watch_ what you want? Poor Soo Ae,” Yoochun teased, and Jaejoong burst out laughing as Changmin grabbed a pillow from Jaejoong’s bed and attacked.   
    
“Where’s Junsu?” Min demanded, whacking Yoochun after each word.  “Go bother him!”   
    
Yoochun made a grab for the plushie and managed to successfully wrestle it from the younger.  “He’s in another final.  I’d love to distract his from it, but I don’t think the rest of the class would particularly appreciate our public displays of affection.”   
    
“You mean your sex?”   
    
“Ah~”  Yoochun tossed the pillow across the room and mimicked Changmin’s position a moment before, head resting on Jaejoong’s lap, and sulked.  “I honestly wish I had a reason to yell at you for saying that, Minnie.”   
    
Changmin retrieved the thrown object, grinning wolfishly at this discovered secret.  Jaejoong frowned as Min poked at Yoochun’s sad face and tried to fend off the attacks on an obviously slightly depressed Yoochun.  “What?  Junsu isn’t allowing nakedness in the bedroom?  Oh hyung, how terrible.”   
    
Yoochun groaned and rolled over, burying his face into the elder’s stomach and Jaejoong squirmed at the ticklish sensation the movement conjured in his muscles.  “Oh he allows it,” Yoochun mumbled around mouthfuls of Jaejoong’s shirt, “but...ah...why am I talking about this with you of all people?  Go away.”   
    
“What?  Why?”   
    
“Jaejoong-ah, make him leave.”   
    
Jaejoong pointed to the door. “Minnie, go call Soo Ae.”   
    
“What the hell? Weren’t you just insinuating that I’m not innocent?  Why can’t I hear?”   
    
“Because he doesn’t want you to.  Leave, Changmin.”   
    
Changmin let out a cry of frustration and slammed the pillow at Yoochun.  “Fine!  You can both just sit here and be sexually frustrated together.  See if I care.”   
    
After Changmin had grabbed his keys and slammed the door with a violent bang, Jaejoong turned his attention back to Yoochun.  “Yoochun...”   
    
“It’s fine.  I’m fine.  Changmin was just getting on my nerves.”   
    
“You can talk to me, you know, I know Junsu pretty well.”   
    
“I know, hyung.  It’s nothing, really.”  Yoochun tried to snuggle deeper into Jaejoong’s lap, but the elder held him back.   
    
“You’re worrying me.”     
    
Yoochun turned around again, staying silent, but not before Jaejoong caught sight of a tear hiding in the corner of his friend’s eye.  Jaejoong sighed and wiped it away.  “This is not nothing, Park Yoochun.  What did he do?”   
    
“Nothing,” Yoochun mumbled.   
    
“I won’t let you leave until you tell me.”   
    
“No really.  Nothing.  That’s the problem.”   
    
“No...anything?” Jaejoong struggled to comprehend what Yoochun was saying.   
    
“I love him,” Yoochun whispered, hands grasping at the pillow thrown at him moments before, “I really think I love him but I don’t think he loves me back...it hurts.”     
    
Another tear escaped his eye Jaejoong cooed gently as he wiped it away, “Yoochun-ah...just because he won’t have sex with you, it doesn’t mean he doesn’t love you.  Sex is not equivalent to love.  It is a way to show love, but it isn’t love itself.”   
    
“Jaejoong that’s...I know that.  I do.  I just feel like he won’t just let himself _be_.  I feel like he’s holding part of himself back because of me.  I love him, I don’t want to be the reason that he can’t be himself.  I don’t want to be a millstone around his neck.”   
    
“Yoochun, you need to tell him this.”   
    
“I can’t.”   
    
“Of course you can.”  Jaejoong flicked his friend on his forehead.   
    
“No I can’t.  What if he says he doesn’t love me back?  What then?  I think I might die of a broken heart.”   
    
“What if he does?” Jaejoong countered, “Isn’t it worth the chance?”   
    
Yoochun shifted onto his back and looked up at Jaejoong hopefully, tears streaking his cheeks.  “Has he told you that?” He asked hopefully.   
    
“No, and I’m not going to ask for you or tell you if he does.  You have to find that out.”   
    
Yoochun sighed and after a moment of silence, hiccuped.   
    
Jaejoong chuckled.  “Who knew that there would be such a sappy love bird underneath all that grease.”   
    
“Who knew I’d be getting sound love advice from someone who’s been too afraid to kiss his crush of almost four years,”  Yoochun teased and Jaejoong considered punching his friend’s shoulder but realized that he really couldn’t.  The statement was, unfortunately, far too true.   
    
“Excited to teach with him?” Yoochun’s tears had stopped, his emotions hid behind his features, a suggestive smirk twisting the corner of his mouth.   
    
This time, Jaejoong did punch, if slightly lighter than he had previously imagined.  “I was.  Now I’m terrified because I realize that I’ll have to teach like he does...and he’s going to watch me do it.”   
    
Before Yoochun could reply, a key was heard in the lock and Junsu stumbled into the room looking bleary eyed and utterly exhausted.  The three friends had illegally made copies of their room keys for each other at the beginning of the year (Changmin’s cousin was a locksmith who always liked to lend his skills to not-so-reputable behavior) and after Yoochun’s initiation of sorts into their small band, Changmin hadn’t wasted any time in getting two keys for him.   
    
Junsu tossed his bag onto the floor and took in the sight of his best friend and boyfriend snuggled together on Jaejoong’s bed.   
    
Jaejoong wondered briefly what Junsu would think, but any worry was quickly erased when Junsu said softly, “Chunnie...Chunnie, have you been crying?”   
    
Yoochun stared at him, and then raised his hand to his face where his tear streaks were still visible.  “Um...”   
    
Junsu took on a very worried expression and crawled up next to his boyfriend to wipe his face.  Jaejoong found it adorable until Junsu rested his head on the elder’s lap next to Yoochun’s.  “What am I a pillow?”  Jaejoong shifted himself, trying to get away but stopped when he felt Yoochun’s hand holding him down, a silent plea to stay, so he just sighed and tried to find a position which would keep his thigh from going numb under the weight of two heads.   
    
“S’wrong?”  Junsu mumbled, eyes closed, nose pressed into Yoochun’s neck.  “Can I kiss it better?  I can kiss anything better.”    
    
Jaejoong found Yoochun looking up at him imploringly.  “He’s just letting out tension, Junsu.  You cried after your first Yunho final, too.”   
    
“You’ll be fine,” Junsu absentmindedly attempted to pat Yoochun on the head, but was too tired to aim correctly and somehow ended up patting his boyfriend’s nose instead.   
    
Jaejoong’s phone began to buzz in his pocket and he maneuvered carefully to extract the thrumming technology.  “What, Min?”   
    
“Are you done discussing your non-existant sex life?”   
    
“I’m going to hang up.”   
    
“CanIorderoutJaejoongpllllleeaassse?”   
    
“What?”  Jaejoong shut his eyes, leaning his head back against his wall, his fingers still threading through Yoochun’s and now occasionally Junsu’s hair.   
    
“Take out.  So we don’t have to invade your sister’s apartment to cook or suffer the cafeteria.  Please.”   
    
“Yeah, that’s fine.  Call me when your coming back, okay?”   
    
“Yes, mother.”   
    
“Shut up.”  Jaejoong ended the call before Changmin could retort.   
    
“Food?”  Yoochun muttered, and Jaejoong looked down to see his two friends mumbling into each other’s lips, their eyelids drooping dangerously.   
    
“Yah!  You are _not_ going to fall asleep on me; I’ll never be able to walk again.”   
    
“My head isn’t _that_ big,” Junsu complained while Yoochun snorted.   
    
Jaejoong muttered threats under his breath while their followed a good ten minutes of bickering and teasing (how could Yoochun think that Junsu didn’t love him?) before his phone rang once again.   
    
“What now?”   
    
“Jaejoong...”   
    
Jaejoong’s eyes narrowed. He knew that tone of voice.   
    
“Dongsaeng, what did you do?”  Yoochun, not really having been around long enough to see Jaejoong especially upset froze at the stern timbre.  Junsu immediately pulled his boyfriend to the other end of the bed and bit his lip nervously.   
    
“Jaejoong-ah, promise not to get really mad.”   
    
“Changmin.”  A apprehensive fear clutched the inside the Jaejoong’s belly.   
    
“Um...so...I sort of saw Yunho...and he was all by himself hyung, and I felt really bad so...I invited him to eat with us...”   
    
Jaejoong yelped.  “Shim Changmin! _”_   
    
_“_ Jaejoongie, please don’t be upset-”   
    
“No!  Minnie!”   
    
“Why? Isn’t this a wonderful chance?”   
    
“Changmin, no!”   
    
“Jaejoong.”   
    
“He’s still a professor.”   
    
There was a rustling and then Jaejoong heard murmuring.  “Changmin?”   
    
“Jaejoong?”   
    
Jaejoong froze. ‘Yunho.”     
    
Jaejoong looked helplessly at Junsu whose jaw had dropped.   
    
“Um, look...it was really nice of Changmin to invite me but, you know, it...it might be weird if I come...”   
    
_Yes,_ Jaejoong thought. “Um...I...well...”   
    
Yoochun coughed and slid over to his friend, taking the phone.  “Yunho?  Sorry, Jae was just in the middle of something and Changmin caught him off guard...”   
    
Jaejoong slid down into a ball and listened in half horror, half ecstasy  to Yoochun’s conversation. “Well, that’s understandable, but it really wouldn’t be awkward for us at all...no really, come and eat with us, I’m relishing the idea of picking your brain outside of the classroom...no, Jaejoong’s thrilled, I’m positive; Changmin just caught him at a bad moment...Junsu doesn’t mind...honest, Yunho come and eat, everyone’s either already left or studying anyway, no one will notice...enough excuses...no don’t pay for the meal...Yunho...great, see you in a bit.”   
    
As soon as Yoochun shut the phone, a triumphant smile encompassing the lower half of his face, Jaejoong let out a wail of frustration.  “Why did you do that?”   
    
“What?  This is a spectacular opportunity,” Yoochun echoed Changmin’s earlier sentiments.   
    
“He’s still a professor.  He’s our teacher!  I can’t...not now!”   
    
“Well, too bad.  He’s coming.”  An arm threaded around Jaejoong’s shoulders and he was pressed into a hug that was a mixture of Yoochun and Junsu body parts.  “It’ll be fine,” a voice murmured into his ear. “We’ll be right here.”   
    
“Why are you so scared JaeJae-ah?”  Junsu’s voice.   
    
“I...I don’t know how he acts outside of class.  I know how to respond to him in the classroom, but what if I don’t have anything to say tonight?”   
    
“Stop worrying. We’ll make you talk.  You made Junsu.  Ow!”  Yoochun pouted at Junsu’s gentle jab to his side, but squeezed his boyfriend’s hand a little bit harder.   
    
“You can always just bitch him out for giving us such a ridiculous final.”   
    
Jaejoong groaned.   
    
“Or we could leave early,” Junsu continued teasingly, “and you could have him all to yourself...”   
    
Jaejoong bared his teeth making both his friends laugh.   
    
“C’mon, if I tell you your room looks messy will it distract you enough from freaking out to clean a little?”  Jaejoong struggled in the arms that were holding him tight to survey his and Changmin’s room.    
    
“Shit.”  He stood up and began to shove Changmin’s dirty clothes into a laundry basket.  Jaejoong looked back at Yoochun who had a silly grin on his face and was reclining back against a pillow.  “You’re not going to help me are you?”   
    
“Who me?”  Yoochun licked his lips and considered the question.  Jaejoong noticed that Junsu was staring at him hungrily.  “Not really, no.”  He cocked his head.  “Shit, I’m stuck to myself.”    
    
Jaejoong watched in horror (Junsu, he noted, in glassy-eyed fascination) as Yoochun unzipped his pants and rather sexily slid his hand down them.  Yoochun pouted and Jaejoong swore he heard Junsu swallow, “Su~ help me here.”   
    
It took Jaejoong a moment to realize what was about to happen with _him_ watching, on _his_ bed  and grabbing a pillow he began to whack at both of them, just as Junsu’s hand slithered down to replace Yoochun’s whose eyes had fluttered shut.   
    
“No!  NOT. ON. MY. BED. YOU. _PERVES_!”   
    
“Joongie.” Junsu whined.   
    
“NO.”   
    
Yoochun blundered over to Changmin’s side of the room (pants still undone) pulling Junsu behind him. Jaejoong was afraid that he’d have a heart attack when Yoochun pulled Junsu’s lips to his own and their pleasured whimpers and moans began to sound through the room as they ground against one another.   
    
Jaejoong panicked when Junsu’s hand traveled down to it’s previous position, causing Yoochun to throw his head back, allowing Junsu’s lips uninterrupted access to his throat.   
    
Frantic, and trying to ignore the loud panting and delirious name whispering, Jaejoong dug in his closet searching for something that might provide a possibility for distraction. His hand landed on a broom.  Perfect.   
    
Disconnecting his brain and groin so that he wouldn’t be influenced by the rather erotic image half-splayed across Min’s now not so neatly made bed (he’d kill them if he ever found out,) Jaejoong grasped the broom tightly in his hands.  Junsu’s ass was quite clearly visible, so Jaejoong took aim and whacked it.   
    
Junsu grunted uncomfortably, but continued his assault on Yoochun’s body, finding skin to touch and kiss and god, Jaejoong didn’t even want to think _what else_.    
    
Undeterred, Jaejoong raised the broom again and this time screamed “CUT IT OUT!” at the top of his lungs as he walloped Junsu’s bottom with all his might.  That did it.   
    
Junsu let out a sound which sounded like a short howl and glared at Jaejoong.  “That _stung._ ”   
    
“Good.  Keep your bedroom activities to your own fucking bedroom.  I don’t want to see it.  Or hear it. Or really, ever have to think about it.”   
    
Junsu rubbed his bottom as Yoochun zipped his pants back up and then slung an arm around his hyung.     
    
“It distracted you didn’t it?”   
    
“Not an excuse.”   
    
Yoochun laughed.   
    
And then, a key was heard in the lock and all three occupants of the room turned to the door, which had opened to reveal Changmin carrying two bags of take out, and a very awkward Yunho.   
    
\--   
    
Yoochun and Junsu’s (not-so-kind) attempts at distraction had fooled Jaejoong’s brain for a time, (seriously, what on _earth_ had Yoochun been complaining about?) but his anxiety returned full force when Yunho stepped through the door.  Thankfully, Changmin shoved the bags of food into his hands and Jaejoong was able to busy himself with opening containers and trying to find enough chopsticks for everyone.  This turned into more of a problem than had been initially anticipated.   
    
“Changmin!  Why do we have more forks than chopsticks?”   
    
“Culturalization, hyung.  You never know.” Changmin nudged Yunho who was sitting quietly next to him.  “I bet you had to meet with all sorts of people who didn’t know how to use chopsticks.”   
    
“Um...no, not really.”   
    
Yoochun guffawed.  “Ah, Min.  So narrow minded.  And I don’t even think culturalization is a word.”   
    
“I am not and it is too.  Look it up, erotomaniac, I might have one or five dictionaries lying around.”   
    
“My dearest egotistical edacious enigma, you and your dictionaries can kiss my ass.”   
    
“Do you really want to argue words with me?”   
    
“Not particularly, you could just admit defeat.”   
    
Jaejoong rolled his eyes and moved onto the next storage container to look for a utensil which might have strayed from it’s pair.   
    
“Jaejoong,” a gentle voice murmured, and the student jumped slightly as something tapped his shoulder. “They gave us wooden ones.”   
    
A fair amount of sniggering was heard from the bed which currently held a very amused Yoochun and Junsu.  Jaejoong smiled and instead of accepting the proffered eating implements from Yunho, he pointed to the makeshift table in the center of the room.   
    
“Thanks.  You can just put them over there.”   
    
Yunho’s mouth twitched slightly in mirth but he walked to the table and Jaejoong was pleased to see that he even laid them out.  Okay.  Maybe this wouldn’t be as bad as he thought.  Maybe it would even be fun.    
    
Dinner was extraordinarily uneventful.  Yunho barely spoke a word, just watching the interactions of his students, smiling at their constant friendly squabbling.     
    
Jaejoong couldn’t help stealing glances at Yunho all through dinner; the way he held his chopsticks (clicking them together before picking something up,) the way he smiled when Junsu said something especially silly (gentle and genuine, showing his perfect teeth, crinkling his eyes,) and the way his cheeks began to color from too much soju (making him laugh a little louder, smile a little wider and have adorable trouble with his hand/eye coordination.)     
    
Jaejoong had never been shy about his attraction to Yunho.  He had walked out of his first class, hanging on Junsu’s arm proclaiming, “I’m in love.” His friends hadn’t taken him seriously and it had become a natural thing to tease their hyung about his infatuation, lust; they had called it anything but love.   
    
But Jaejoong knew better.  He’d been “infatuated” for four years, no one else, man or woman, even turning his head.  How was that _not_ love?  That’s what he wanted to know.   
    
“Jaejoong!”   
    
Changmin whacked his roommate on the head, “Are you in or not?”   
    
“What?”   
    
“Daydreaming?” Yoochun’s velvet husk floated seductively into Jaejoong’s ear and Jaejoong felt himself blushing.   
    
“Sorry, my brain is unfocused.”   
    
“Really? Why is that?”  Jaejoong spitted a glare at Yunho after he spoke.   
    
“Well, gee, I wonder.”   
    
Yunho just grinned into his soju glass and Jaejoong had a sudden urge to whack him over the head.  So he did, with a pillow.   
    
Yunho’s soju spilled everywhere.  The other three broke into laughter, Changmin choking on his own soju.   
    
“Do you have a towel?” Yunho asked Jaejoong, teeth gritted, after no one moved to help him.  “Please?”   
    
Jaejoong regarded him for a minute, watching the way the alcohol was dripping from Yunho’s hand and momentarily considering licking it away.  Jaejoong decided that he wasn’t quite drunk enough for that so he sighed and rummaged around the room to produce rag.   
    
“I’d apologize, but I don’t really feel any remorse.”   
    
“Aw, hyung, so cold,” Changmin had regained his breath and was pressing a towel to the floor where the soju was soaking into the carpet.   
    
Jaejoong huffed.   
    
“You don’t have to apologize, I think I deserved that.”     
    
“You did,” Jaejoong attacked the remaining rice, even though he wasn’t really hungry, refusing to look anyone in the eye.   
    
“So are you in or not?”   
    
“In on what?”   
    
“The question game.  No holds barred, anything at all; we’ve had enough to drink.”   
    
Jaejoong sighed.  It could be a disaster.  It probably would, but hell, Changmin was right, he was tipsy enough to not care.   
    
“Fine.  But we clean first.”   
    
Everyone grumbled except Yunho, who was smiling stupidly for a reason Jaejoong wasn’t even going to attempt to decipher.  It didn’t take long to refrigerate the leftovers and dump trash.  Jaejoong allowed Min to put aside the dishes to be washed after a large amount of cajoling and promises to finish them later in the evening..   
    
“Are you always this domestic?” Yunho asked him.   
    
“You can ask me that when we start playing.”   
    
“Should I be worrying about this game?  It sounds like a cheesy excuse to get drunk.”   
    
“So what if it is?  Scared of passing out in front of your students?”   
    
“No.”   
    
Jaejoong smiled and patted Yunho’s shoulder.  “Good.  You don’t have to worry though, there’s no obligatory drinking.  You might want to worry about spilling your darkest secrets, though.  No holds barred is pretty serious.”   
    
“So...we ask questions and everyone has to answer?”   
    
“You’ll want to; this is an excellent way to de-stress.”   
    
“The point is to let out steam?”   
    
“Well, technically it’s to get to know people. But, since most of us know each other so well, it’s to come up with outrageous questions.  I’ve written stories from answers people have given.”   
    
“You write stories?”   
    
“Go sit.”   
    
Yoochun and Junsu were both nursing cups of soju (last one, hyung, we swear!) Junsu against Jaejoong’s headboard, his legs over Yoochun’s lap who was resting against the wall and the obscene amount of pillows Jaejoong owned form when he had back trouble...or at least that’s what he told everyone.  He really owned them because when he slept, it felt like someone was holding him.   
    
Jaejoong sat on the floor.  Changmin flopped down next to him, pushing his head into his hyung’s lap not unlike how he had earlier in the evening.  Jaejoong just sighed.  “Seriously, do I look like a pillow?  Why is everyone laying on me today?”   
    
“You’re so comfortable...and soft...and _willing_.”     
    
“Whatever,” Jaejoong’s tone was careless, but he ran his fingers through Changmin’s hair making the younger man smile, obviously very pleased.  “You’re like a cat,” Jaejoong complained, “All you care about is laps and petting and food.”   
    
“I care about other things!  I like you guys, and I study...and Soo Ae!  I love her!”   
    
“You have a girlfriend?” Yunho asked quietly.   
    
Changmin’s eyes glazed over ad Jaejoong mentally prepared himself for gushing.  “She’s studying medicine at Todai.  She’s smart and pretty and she cooks almost as good as Jaejoong and-”   
    
“You cook?” Yunho cut through Changmin’s tirade, causing another pout.   
    
“I try.”   
    
“You succeed; don’t let his modesty fool you, Yunho, Jaejoong could open a restaurant.”   
    
“I _want_ to be a lawyer,” Jaejoong glared at Junsu, “are we playing or not?”   
    
“We’re playing.  Chunnie, you go first.”   
    
Jaejoong knew Yunho was staring at him, watching him quietly and he would have given anything for a few seconds of mind reading ability.   
    
“I don’t have a question yet, someone else go.  Minnie.”   
    
“Alright...” Changmin was quiet for a minute.  “Okay.  What would you do if you walked in on your kid having sex?”   
    
Yoochun choked on his soju.  “Wow, jump right in, Min.”   
    
“We agreed.  No holds barred.”   
    
Junsu giggled. “Are we talking like...really just too young or old enough to make that decision for themselves?”   
    
“Either.  And, would you liking their significant other change your reaction?”   
    
There was a pause before Jaejoong said, “If they were...old enough...and that’s a debatable term to be using, I’d probably walk back out of the room.  Especially if they didn’t notice me and...then tell them later.  But if they weren’t...”   
    
“Jaejoong omma’d kick their asses,” Changmin supplied.   
    
“Shut up.”   
    
“You whack their bottoms, that’s what you’d do,” Junsu supplied, “my poor ass is living proof.”   
    
“So you’re admitting you’re not mature enough to be going at it?”   
    
“Yah!  Can we not discuss our sexual exploits, please?”  Yoochun looked horrified.   
    
“You walk around naked, I would think you wouldn’t mind,” Yunho had a very amused look on his face, his finger trailing around the edge of his glass.  Jaejoong swallowed, trying to not think about how that beautiful hand would feel trailing the edges of his body.   
    
“Now, hold on a second,” Changmin looked suspiciously from the duo on the bed to Jaejoong and back, “what exactly went on after I left?”   
    
“Nothing,” Yoochun looked desperate.   
    
“Nothing?” Junsu asked, seemingly hurt, and then realized perhaps too late that if their exploits got out, a certain owner of a certain bed would not be very happy, “Oh, um, yeah.  Nothing.”   
    
“Nothing much,” Jaejoong supplied, ignoring Yoochun’s frantic, pleading face, settling on his final revenge for his friends’ display earlier, “But Changmin, you may want to change your sheets before you sleep in your bed tonight.”   
    
Yunho’s quiet chuckle was the only sound heard before Changmin sat up and spitted a frightened couple with a deadly glare. “ _What_?”   
    
“Jaejoongie is exaggerating, Minnie, really,” Jaejoong was positive that Junsu had gulped.   
    
“What did you do on my bed, hyung?”   
    
Jaejoong smiled to himself.  Revenge complete...and he had gotten Minnie off his lap.  It was a good night.   
    
“That was terribly evil,” a voice slithered into his ear, “I never took you for a person with such a vicious personality.”   
    
Jaejoong found that he couldn’t move.  He only barely registered Changmin’s outraged shrieks and threats of death, completely overpowered with the feeling of Yunho’s breath on the side of his face.   
    
“I’m full of surprises.”   
    
“Indeed. You cook, you write...you’re a very interesting person, Jaejoong-ah.  What else do you do that I don’t know about?”   
    
“Is that a game question, Yunho-ssi?”   
    
“Just Yunho,” Jaejoong couldn’t help but close his eyes as the breath warmed his ear and a finger came in front of his face to tap his nose playfully, “We’ve been over this before.”   
    
“Is it?”   
    
The hand landed on his shoulder and squeezed it affectionately. “Does it work as a game question?”   
    
“No.”   
    
“You know, it would help if you explained the rules.”   
    
Jaejoong turned, forcing his eyes open, trying not to shiver at the close proximity of Yunho’s face.  “You pose a question to the group, usually some sort of situation, like a what if question, and then everyone answers and you discuss and get off topic and drive everyone crazy.  So...no questions directed to one person unless it’s to clarify an answer.”   
    
“Are you sure you listen in my classes, Jaejoong-ah?  You always, always lay out the rules first to avoid confusion later.”   
    
Jaejoong smiled, suddenly very aware that they were being watched, all arguments forgotten.  “I wasn’t aware that I was supposed to apply that to everything.”   
    
Yunho smiled, his scent assailing Jaejoong’s senses, threatening to drive him insane.  “How am I supposed to play a game when it hasn’t been explained to me?”   
    
“You’re avoiding my point.”   
    
“No, you’re avoiding mine.”   
    
“I don’t really remember either point, to be honest.”  Oh god.  Did he just say that?  Jaejoong felt himself blush.   
    
“Neither do I.”   
    
Jaejoong heard Changmin clear his throat, “If you two are done with your staring contest, I’d like to hear Yunho’s answer to my question.”   
    
“Done being mad, Minnie?” Jaejoong questioned, wondering if his breath feathering over Yunho’s face was making his professor as drunk on feeling as Jaejoong was. Yunho still hadn’t moved and Jaejoong felt like he was stuck in the chocolate eyes so he decided to just stay there.   
    
“They are going to change my sheets before they leave and buy me new ones.  And maybe I’ll whack Junsu’s bottom too.”   
    
“You will not.”    
    
“Now that you so vehemently stated that, I’m going to have to.”    
    
His friends fell into bickering again and Jaejoong blocked them out.  For once in the time that he knew them, he really wouldn’t have cared if they made the decision to beat each other to a pulp.   
    
“Jaejoong-ah,” Yunho was whispering, wringing his hands like he was unsure as to where he wanted to put them, “Jaejoong, is it weird that I want to kiss you?”   
    
“Professor you weren’t listening to me.  Your questions can’t be directed to one specific person.”  Jaejoong didn’t know how he was speaking exactly.  He didn’t even remember his brain making the decision to say something so embarrassing.  He should have just said _no, no it’s not weird, please kiss me until I have no lips left. I won’t even mind, I would be so happy that you were that last person I ever kissed._ God, he was morbid sometimes.   
    
“You’re right.  I wasn’t listening to anything you said.”    
    
Jaejoong swallowed as Yunho raised a hand to cup his face.    
    
“Hyung!” Jaejoong was slammed into by Junsu which made him bowl right into Yunho (missing his lips, Jaejoong noticed sourly, looks like he wasn’t even going to get an _accidental_ kiss.) “Save my butt, please!”   
    
_Okay_ , Jaejoong thinks, ignoring Junsu’s plea, _I’m lying on top of Yunho, maybe not kissing wasn’t too terrible._ He raised his head and saw Yunho wink.  Then Junsu yanked Jaejoong up and hid behind him, using him as a shield.   
    
“Junsu!”   
    
“Away!  Changmin, get away!  Jaejoong stop him!”   
    
“You had SEX on my BED.  I will KILL you.”   
    
“We didn’t!”   
    
“Changmin, calm down, Yoochun and Junsu will replace everything.”   
    
“And there I was believing everything Yoochun said about you and him and-”   
    
“Changmin!”  Yoochun cut in, “Changmin, come on, we’re trying to play a game here.”   
    
“Wait....Chunnie, what did you tell him?”   
    
“Junsu, nothing, he misunderstood me, that’s all.”   
    
“Bull shit!  God, I need Soo Ae.  I think she is the only sane person I know.”   
    
“Chunnie...what...did you say?”   
    
“I’m sorry, am I missing something here?”   
    
Everyone stopped yelling at Yunho’s quiet inquiry.   
    
Jaejoong leaped upon this chance and said quietly, “Changmin, sit down.”   
    
“But _hyung_.”    
    
“Changmin,” Jaejoong pulled Changmin down next to him, “Junsu, leave me alone and go back and sit with Yoochun.  We have questions to ask.”   
    
“Changmin you aren’t allowed to ask any more questions,” Yoochun stated while he wrapped and arm around his returning boyfriend protectively.   
    
“Whatever. Maybe I don’t want to.”   
    
“Guys, seriously.  You’re older than this, I’m so embarrassed.”   
    
Changmin let out a breath in resignation and let his head snuggle back into Jaejoong’s lap.  “Sorry, JaeJae.”   
    
Jaejoong closed his eyes.  “Yunho has a question,” he said, not daring to look the newcomer in the eye.   
    
“Excellent,” Yoochun’s voice sounded excited.   
    
“I-I do?”   
    
Jaejoong cracked an eye open and was pleased to see that Yunho hadn’t scooted back to his original place on the floor.  “Didn’t you?”   
    
Yunho stared at Jaejoong. “Not for this game, if you explained the rules to me correctly just now.”   
    
Jaejoong hummed his disappointment, even though he was secretly amused.  “Alright then.  Let’s just invert Minnie’s question.  What would you do if your kids walked in on _you_ having sex?”   
    
“We’re rolling out the greatest questions tonight.  I’m sorry Yunho, usually we’re more intelligent.”   
    
“Yoochun, I know you’re all smart.  I find this very interesting, you needn’t apologize.”   
    
“Want to share a response?”  Junsu asked, “You’re the only one whose answer I wouldn’t be able to guess.”   
    
“Hmm...well that needs the same clarification, doesn’t it?  Do they know what sex is or don’t they?”   
    
“Both,” Jaejoong said, realizing too late that he had been ambiguous.   
    
“Both?  Are you really the same Kim Jaejoong that took my classes?  Be specific.”   
    
Junsu and Yoochun whooped gleefully.  “Finally.  God, Yunho, we were wondering when you’d start yelling.”   
    
“I wasn’t yelling.”   
    
“You know what I mean.”   
    
“I meant, answer both scenarios.”  Jaejoong began to stroke Changmin’s hair again, causing the youngest to mumble pleasurably.  Jaejoong could feel a blush creeping into his cheeks.  Again. So embarrassing.   
    
“Give me an age.”   
    
“Eight,” Changmin muttered from Jaejoong’s lap.   
    
Jaejoong watched Yunho consider the question for a moment.  “Cover the nudity, ask them what’s wrong, just in case someone died, and then tell them to get out.”   
    
Jaejoong giggled.   
    
“What if they ask you what you were doing?”  Yoochun drawled.   
    
“I would tell them that we can talk about it in the morning.”   
    
“And what if she insists and stomps her foot and says, ‘Daddy, I’m not going to bed until you tell me!’”     
    
“Then she would be in trouble for not listening to me, wouldn’t she?”   
    
Yoochun chuckled.  “I suppose she would.”   
    
Something electronic chirruped on Changmin’s desk making Jaejoong yelp in surprise. “Ah!”  Changmin grabbed his phone and slid it open, his face splitting into a huge grin.  “Soo Ae’s back!”    
    
“Tell her to come over.”   
    
“Nope, I’m going to go to her.  I’ll see you tomorrow.” Changmin grabbed his keys, coat, and bag from underneath his bed.   
    
“Bringing your porn, Minnie dear?”  Yoochun asked sweetly.   
    
Junsu whacked him.  “Be nice. They’re diaries full of letters.  They write in them during the semesters they’re away and then spend all night reading to each other when they’re reunited.”   
    
Yoochun cocked his head.  “I apologize for the wisecrack.  That’s really sweet.”   
    
“Thanks, hyung.”   
    
“Minnie?”  Yoochun grinned, pulling Junsu closer, “After you’re done with the letters, have fun with all the sex.”   
    
Changmin flipped him off as he walked out the door causing everyone to burst into laughter.   
    
“We’re leaving too,” Junsu announced, “Yoochun has explaining to do.”   
    
“I...I do?”  Yoochun’s eyes went wide.   
    
“You do.”   
    
Junsu slid off the bed and began to search for his coat.  Yoochun shot Jaejoong a pleading look, but the elder held up his hands.   
    
“Let’s go.  Bye Jaejoong, Yunho.”  Jaejoong watched, his stomach beginning to rise slowly into his throat, as Junsu dragged Yoochun out the door, the latter waving goodbye weakly.   
    
Taking a breath to calm himself,  Jaejoong stood and immediately went to the pile of dirty dishes waiting to be cleaned.  Had no one left, he would have been upset that he was, once again, the one doing the pick up.  But it was better than facing Yunho and for the first time in his life he was overjoyed at the sight of dishes to be washed.   
    
Jaejoong realized that this thought had taken far too long to process when he felt Yunho come up behind him and pull his hands away from soap and sponge.    
    
“I need to wash them in the sink down the hall.”   
    
“Leave them, Jaejoong.  I think we need to talk too,” Jaejoong closed his eyes as Yunho’s arms encircled him, “and if you ask me what about I will be very upset.  That, and start to suspect you of cheating.”   
    
“I’m not a cheater,” Jaejoong murmured.  _Oh god, please let me not be dreaming right now._   
    
“Answer my question.”   
    
_Let this be real.  I’ve waited so long to feel him like this, to have him see me like this._   
    
“Kissing is a perfectly normal thing to want.”  _What the hell kind of answer was that.  You’re supposed to say, No, Yunho, it’s not weird, now friggin’ kiss me because I don’t know if I can hold myself together for much longer if I don’t have you._   
    
“What would you do if I kissed you right now?”   
    
_Kiss you back and demand that you make wild love to me._ “Why are you asking me instead of just finding out?”   
    
There was a low chuckle that made Jaejoong swallow hard.  He expected Yunho to either turn him around and kiss him or let go and walk out the door.  Jaejoong _didn’t_ expect the lips that were pressed lightly to his neck and he inhaled sharply.   
    
_I have to be dreaming.  He only holds me in my dreams, he only kisses me in my dreams.  He’s never shown interest in me why....why now?  God, it feels so good to be held._   
    
“I saw how you looked at me tonight,” Yunho whispered into Jaejoong’s ear.   
    
_You have a beautiful voice. I could listen to it forever, especially if it was talking to me._   
    
“Really?”  Jaejoong tilted his head as another kiss was nuzzled below his earlobe.   
    
“It was very seductive.”   
    
_Don’t stop, don’t ever stop, if you stop I might wake up.  I don’t want to forget this, please let me never forget this one moment._   
    
“Actually,” a kiss to his temple, “all semester...all year...okay, so, since I first walked into that damn classroom.”   
    
_You even sound good when you swear.  I’m so love sick...love drunk...I don’t even know anymore._   
    
“I was wondering if you were lying about how observant you were.”   
    
Yunho carefully, _reverently_ , turned Jaejoong around and after a moment of staring at each other, Yunho murmured, “I really am quite observant, it’s just that sometimes...I don’t know what to do with my observations.  Sometimes I’m too scared to do anything about them.”   
    
“Are you sure you’re a lawyer?”  Jaejoong teased gently.   
    
They laughed.  And then, Jaejoong threaded his hands into Yunho’s hair and kissed him.   
    
It was a gentle melding of skin, bordering slightly on passionate.  Yunho’s arms tightened around Jaejoong, their bodies fitting together more naturally than anything either of them had felt before. Jaejoong’s hands caressed anything he could find, reveling in the lines and curves he had longed to trace, discovering that some felt as he had imagined, and some turned out to be even better.   
    
When they broke for air, Jaejoong was sure his face mirrored Yunho’s, swollen lips, tousled hair, hooded eyes, and a small, yet ecstatic smile.   
    
“Did I mention somewhere in the past five minutes that you’re positively beautiful?”  Yunho whispered.   
    
“No.”   
    
“You are...you hear that a lot, yes?”   
    
“Yeah, but it’s amazingly wonderful to hear you say it.”   
    
“Jaejoong I...god, you’ve liked me for so long and I knew and I couldn’t do anything and...I honestly have no idea how I feel.  Something in my head or my heart is telling me that I should be confessing some sort of undying love, but...I don’t trust random voices, especially after I’ve been drinking.  This sounds horrible, I’m sorry. I can’t even think right now.  I just...I like you...suddenly.  Is that weird?”   
    
Jaejoong smiled (he didn’t think he’d ever stop smiling.)  He couldn’t quite explain it, but he felt...free.  He felt like something in him had finally clicked, had finally moved one centimeter and all was right again.  It felt so good.   
    
“It’s fine.  We have all summer to figure this out, right?”   
    
Yunho nodded, relief flooding his features.   
    
Jaejoong pulled him closer for another kiss, _the sweetest kiss in the world_ , he thought.   
    
“Help me with the dishes?”   
    
Yunho rolled his eyes and laughed.  “Sure.”


	4. (Not So ) Best Laid Plans

“What do you mean you didn’t talk to him?”   
    
“I fell asleep when he went to take a shower.”   
    
“You let him take a shower before you talked?”   
    
“Yes?”   
    
“Why am I sensing a question mark after that sentence?  Did you or didn’t you?”   
    
“I did.”   
    
“Yoochun!”   
    
Jaejoong thwacked his friend over the head and Yoochun groaned, burying his face in his crossed arms on the table.   
    
“Yoochun, seriously, you need to talk to him.”   
    
“Has he talked to you about this?”   
    
“This conversation sounds familiar.  I am not your fucking telephone.  Stop ruining my good day and just nod and say, ‘Yes, Jaejoong, you are correct, I need to talk to my boyfriend and tell him that I am madly in love with him so that we can have the second hottest couple sex on the planet.’ You can always walk to his room naked, Chun.  Naked is a good thing.”   
    
Yoochun stared at his babbling friend incredulously, “Are you even aware of what you just said?”   
    
“What?  Yeah.  Confess your love and then get naked.”   
    
“And why exactly is our sex rated #2?  We haven’t had sex, how do you know?”   
    
Yoochun smirked at the blush which immediately colored Jaejoong’s face and he slung an arm around  Jaejoong’s neck and whispered suggestively into his ear, “which couple is inhabiting that top spot in your pretty head, Jaejoong- _hyung_.”   
    
“Erm...”   
    
“You’re keeping secrets from me.  I’m insulted.  I just spilled my deepest, darkest secret to you and you aren’t telling me anything about what happened after Junsu dragged me out.”   
    
Jaejoong squirmed.   
    
“I lied,” Yoochun spoke after a minute of thoughtful silence, “My real, deepest, darkest is that I stole my brother’s porn magazine and lied to my grandmother and said that it was a literary magazine a select few students were privileged to receive at school.  And then I read them and jerked off to them in her bathroom.  She thought I was dying and called an ambulance and I sliced myself on the cheek with a razor when I heard them come in so no one would know what I had been doing.”   
    
“...You...you dirty perve.  Your poor grandmother, how could you be so terrible?”   
    
“Spill.”   
    
Jaejoong bit his lip and Yoochun poked his side until his friend sighed in resignation.  “Fine.  He...Well...I kissed him.”   
    
Yoochun hadn’t known that shock could cause momentary paralyzation.  He made a mental note to ask Changmin about it later. “Wow,” Yoochun breathed after a few seconds of silence, “I never thought you had it in you.”   
    
Jaejoong hit him.   
    
“So you just kissed him?  How boring.”   
    
Jaejoong raised his fist again and Yoochun slid back on the bench to avoid the swing.   
    
“I mean, how was it?  Everything you imagined and more?  God, that is so cliche, don’t answer that, I don’t want to know.  Are you happy?”   
    
Yoochun thought that he might start crying when Jaejoong turned to him with the most beautiful smile etched across his face.  Yoochun considered slipping on his sunglasses to protect his eyes from the glow that radiated from the other male. “Silly me.  That was a stupid question.”   
    
Jaejoong laughed.   
    
“I lied,” Yoochun said again, as he got up, swinging his keys around his index finger, “I made up the story about my grandmother.”   
    
Jaejoong chased him across campus, Yoochun practically splitting his sides from laughter as he avoided his friend’s fists.   
    
    
    
“Minnie, we need to intervene.”   
    
“I don’t want to intervene, hyung, I want to spend time with my girlfriend.  Let them figure it out on their own time.”   
    
Jaejoong pressed down on the bridge of his nose with his left hand as his right cradled his cell phone.  “Soo Ae can help; Junsu will listen to her.  Please, Changmin?  I’ll bring you dinner for a week.”   
    
Jaejoong smiled when he heard Changmin sigh across the electronic waves.   
    
“Fine.  But it had better be a fricking spectacular feast every night.”    
    
“Whatever you want,” Jaejoong said distractedly as he reached the door to Yunho’s office.  It was open and he walked in, waving at Yunho who was shuffling papers on his desk and looking thoroughly exasperated.   
    
“What do you need us to do?”   
    
“Um...let me set some stuff up first.  I’ll call you.”   
    
“Don’t call too late; if I’m in bed I’m not going to answer.”   
    
Jaejoong smiled, his stomach twisting slightly as Yunho patted his head awkwardly, passing him and heading for a filing cabinet to look for a few folders.   
    
“Bye, Minnie,” Jaejoong hung up before Changmin could find anything more to say. It was just in time to accept an armful of folders from Yunho.   
    
“Homework,” Yunho informed him.  “These are my lesson plans for the classes you’re going to help me with.”   
    
Jaejoong hummed in interest and sat down in a chair, leafing through them curiously.  _Introduction to Law, Legal Writing, Constitutional Law 1_. “Three classes?”   
    
“I can find someone else.”   
    
Jaejoong raised his head to find a brow of Yunho’s arching towards the ceiling.  “I wasn’t complaining,” Jaejoong informed him, and he went back to looking through the large amount of paper in his lap.   
    
“How many classes are you teaching?”   
    
“Five. Yoochun’s taking one of them.  Civil Procedure.”   
    
Jaejoong nodded, remembering a conversation he had had with his friend about it.  “It’s because Harvard didn’t have a course on Korean procedure.  He’s making up a lot of classes this summer so he can graduate with us...lots of independent study too.”   
    
“He was at Harvard?”   
    
“His family’s in America.  He transferred to SNU* because he wants to practice here, not in America.”   
    
“Interesting.  I’ll have to pick his brain.  American law interests me.”   
    
Jaejoong laughed.   
    
A knock sounded on the doorframe and Jaejoong looked up to find a very handsome man leaning against the cherrywood.    
    
“Sorry, I didn’t realize you’d be with a student.”   
    
“No, it’s fine, come in.  Jaejoong, this is Lee Donghae, he teaches Marine Biology.  Donghae, Jaejoong’s the student I enlisted to help me.”   
    
Donghae’s grin widened and Jaejoong found his hand being shaken exuberantly, half the papers falling onto the floor as they lost their support. “So you’re Kim Jaejoong?  It’s so nice to meet you, Yunho just doesn’t shut up about you.”   
    
“Really?”  Jaejoong cast a sidelong glance at Yunho who was blushing.   
    
“Only good things,” Donghae said, obviously oblivious to the look passing between student and teacher. “We professors always brag about our best pupils; it’s a matter of pride, really.  I have a student who no matter what-”   
    
“Did you need something, Donghae?”   
    
Donghae paused mid-sentence and looked from Yunho to Jaejoong and then back to Yunho.  “Did I interrupt something?” The marine biologist asked carefully.   
    
“We were just discussing lesson plans,” Yunho answered and Jaejoong thought it might have been just a bit too quick, despite the fact that had been the only thing occurring.   
    
“I was just coming to distract you.  I’ll leave now, nice meeting you, Jaejoong.  You have fun with those uh...lesson plans.”   
    
Jaejoong felt his face flush and heard Yunho splutter as Donghae walked out of the office, a smirk pulling at his lips.   
    
“Yunho, how much does he know?”   
    
“Well, I may or may not have called him after that night...”   
    
“Yunho.”   
    
“Don’t worry.  I walked in on him and the zoologist that works part time at the children’s museum fucking against a fish tank, so he won’t say anything.”   
    
Jaejoong felt his blush grow with his curiosity. “Which zoologist is this?”   
    
“I’m sure you’ll have the pleasure of meeting him over the summer. He’s working on a research project, something about mammals whose diets are strictly fish...or something.  Donghae tried to explain it to me but he got too excited so I missed half of it.”    
    
“He does seem...happy.”   
    
“You’ll come to love him, it’s inevitable.”   
    
Yunho walked back to where Jaejoong was picking up the notes that had fallen onto the floor and began to help him.  “Although, I hear he makes his students cringe as much as I do.”   
    
“Don’t be silly.  We both know that you are _master_ when it comes to making students cringe.”   
    
“People should call me master more often, I like it.”   
    
Jaejoong laughed as he watched Yunho realize what he had just said.  “I’ll call you master whenever you want,” Jaejoong whispered into Yunho’s ear.   
    
“You’ve been spending too much time with Yoochun,”   
    
Jaejoong pulled away and looked up at his professor, pouting.   
    
“Don’t do that.”   
    
“Why not?”   
    
“Because it’s cute.  It makes me want to kiss you and that’s not something I should do in my office.” The two stared at each other for a minute (making Jaejoong’s mouth do dry with want) before Yunho murmured, “Why don’t you come to my apartment for dinner?”   
    
The sulk vanished and Jaejoong started to smile, but then he remembered the phone call he had made earlier.  Changmin would kill him if he backed out.   
    
“Ahh...I have to make Minnie dinner so we can set Yoochun and Junsu up.”   
    
“I-thought they were already dating...aren’t they?”   
    
“Chunnie’s just being melodramatic, so I have to fix it.”   
    
“Why?”   
    
Jaejoong sniffed.  He was beginning to doubt his professor’s ability to think properly.   
    
“Invite Changmin.  You can just come early...and stay late.”   
    
“You do realize that you’re inviting _Changmin_ to _eat_ at your house.  And Soo Ae, because you don’t have one without the other when they’re in the same country...and she eats almost as much as he does.”   
    
Yunho was grinning again and Jaejoong lost all rational thought when his professor very quickly kissed his forehead.  “Well, then it’s a good thing you’re cooking, isn’t it?”   
    
    
    
“Why did you invite them, Changmin?”   
    
“Because I want this over and done with.  We’ll corner them and lock them in a closet and then open it to find them all over each other and happy as clams.”   
    
Jaejoong frowned and cast a dark look to Junsu and Yoochun who were happily yet somehow awkwardly sitting next to each other on a couch.   
    
“I wish you would just let me do things my way.”   
    
“Please, Jaejoong.  All that you’re thinking about right now is Yunho.”   
    
“That’s not true.”   
    
“Yes it is.  Let the night run it’s course...you’re food is bubbling over, go tend to it.”  Jaejoong ran to the kitchen with a yelp and then began to yell death threats and curses at Changmin when he discovered his pots were still serenely simmering, no fires in sight.   
    
“Is everything okay?”   
    
Yunho was leaning on his counter (which was granite and shiny and gorgeous,) looking slightly worried.   
    
“Once I kill Changmin, it will be perfect.”   
    
Yunho laughed.  “I have a knife sharpener in the pantry.”   
    
“I may dig it out.”   
    
“Are we killing someone?”  Junsu had sauntered into the kitchen.   
    
“Changmin,”  Jaejoong’s voice was void of all emotion.   
    
“Oooh. Can I help? Then I won’t have to buy new sheets.”   
    
“You _will_ be buying me new sheets, and you won’t be killing me, hyung, and _when_ are we eating.  I’m hungry.”   
    
Jaejoong smacked away several hands that were attempting to test his dinner.  “Where is Soo Ae, Changmin? She was supposed to come to keep you adequately distracted.”   
    
“She wasn’t feeling good so she decided not to come.”   
    
“Oh my god,” Junsu clutched at his heart, “You got her pregnant didn’t you?”   
    
Yunho choked on the water he had just poured for himself and Jaejoong dropped his chopsticks into his frying pan.   
    
“Who’s pregnant?”  Yoochun had poked his head around a door jam.  “Changmin, what did you do?”   
    
“NO ONE!  NO ONE IS PREGNANT!  OH _GAWD_ you are all such IDIOTS.”   
    
“Hey, don’t get mad.  It’s your choice to be here and not with your preggers girlfriend.”   
    
“She’s _not_ pregnant, Park Yoochun, and I am _not_ here by choice.”   
    
Jaejoong momentarily considered thwacking Changmin but then realized that would implicate him in the scheme so he stayed still.   
    
“You’re...not?”   
    
“No.  So can you please make up with Junsu so that I can go back home and take of my girlfriend who is _sick_ and needing my attention.”   
    
“Sorry...what?”  Changmin clapped a hand over his mouth when he realized what he had said and looked to Jaejoong who shot a pleading look to Yunho.   
    
“Am I missing something here?”   
    
“I’m leaving,” Changmin ignored Junsu’s suspicious question.   
    
Jaejoong glared daggers at his dongsaeng as Changmin turned around and grabbed his coat.  “See you all tomorrow...if I feel like talking to any of you.”   
    
Junsu was biting his lip and staring at Yoochun who was shuffling on his feet.  “Maybe we should go too,” Junsu murmured and Yoochun nodded.   
    
Before Jaejoong could even say goodbye the two had entwined their hands and left.   
    
A gentle touch on his shoulder startled him, but he relaxed as he felt an arm creep around his middle.  “I’m such an idiot,” he murmured as he turned into Yunho’s chest, “I’m so incredibly stupid.”   
    
“That was entirely Changmin’s fault,” Yunho whispered, “Lesson learned: when Soo Ae is sick, don’t ask Changmin to do anything that doesn’t pertain to her.”   
    
Jaejoong giggled and then sighed.  “I knew I shouldn’t have cooked so much food.  Now who’s going to eat all of it?”   
    
\--   
    
Junsu held onto Yoochun’s hand tightly.  He wasn’t exactly sure what Yoochun had been talking to Jaejoong about for the past few days, and it had been nerve-wracking.  Junsu hoped desperately that Yoochun hadn’t stopped liking him...because that would be unbearable, un _think_ able.   
    
Unconsciously he pulled his friend towards the river and a bench where they had gone the day after Yoochun had dragged him into the deserted classroom.   
    
They sat in silence for awhile, heads resting against one another, fingers still wrapped around fingers, studiously ignoring the grumblings in their stomachs.   
    
“Chunnie,” Junsu whispered after they had watched the moon rise a good few feet, “Chunnie, what’s wrong?”   
    
Yoochun squeezed his hand tightly but said nothing, making Junsu want to cry.   
    
“Please talk to me.  You’ve been talking to Jaejoong more than me and it isn’t supposed to be like that, Yoochun.  I want to...I want to help you, I want to heal you, to make whatever it is better.”   
    
Junsu turned slightly and made Yoochun look him in the eye.  “You’re not dying are you?”   
    
A sigh of relief escaped his lips when Yoochun chuckled quietly.  “I’m quite well, thank you.”   
    
“Not completely well,” Junsu whispered quietly and it wasn’t a question.   
    
After a moment, Yoochun replied, “No, not completely.”   
    
“Am I causing this...whatever it is?”   
    
Junsu decided that he hated it when Yoochun was silent.  “Was it something I said?  Or that I did?  Am I being stupid by not knowing what it is, Yoochun?  You.. you still like me, right?”   
    
He was ready to beg, to plead, to promise whatever he had to so that Yoochun wouldn’t leave him.  Because half his life was the man in front of him.  He loved everything about him, even the things he hated.   
    
Junsu felt his heart seize up when Yoochun pulled away from him, but then he relaxed when arms wrapped around him.  Okay.  Hugs were good.   
    
“I still like you,” Yoochun confirmed.   
    
“If that’s the case, then you should be able to tell me anything. There can’t be anything worse than you dying or not liking me anymore so lay it on me.  I can totally take it.”   
    
Yoochun chuckled and Junsu began to breathe correctly again.    
    
“I...I’m afraid of liking you too much.”   
    
“...you’re what?”   
    
“I’m in love with you,” Yoochun whispered and Junsu was sure he had just heard two very different sentences   
    
“Which one is it?” he asked, “Do you love me or are you afraid of loving me?”   
    
“Why did you ask for clarification when you heard me the first time?  Come on, Junsu, help me out here, I don’t say things like this often.”   
    
Now Junsu laughed.  “Which one?” He pressed.   
    
“Both.  I love you to death and it scares me shitless.”   
    
Junsu decided that it was about time he kissed Yoochun breathless.   
    
Yoochun didn’t respond as first but then Junsu felt hands sliding up his back and into his hair before Yoochun gasped in an oddly familiar way, “T-talk.”   
    
“When have we ever accomplished anything by talking?  I love you too, ass.  Don’t be scared, not of me, or us.”   
    
“Junsu...”   
    
Junsu buried his face into his friend’s shoulder knowing well that he was crying...that they were both crying.  “You’ve been ignoring me,” Junsu whispered, “Don’t ignore me, please don’t.  It hurts so much.”   
    
“Okay.”   
    
Junsu pulled away and they laughed a little as they both tried to wipe away each other’s tears at the same time.   
    
“My room or yours?”   
    
Any sort of romantic reply was lost on Junsu’s tongue when his stomach rumbled and they laughed at the horrible timing.     
    
“Maybe we should go back to Yunho’s and bother Jaejoong for doing such a clumsy job of getting us to talk.  I’m sure they didn’t eat all that food.”   
    
Yoochun paled.  “Let’s not.  I have food in my room, let’s go back there,” he murmured softly, clinging to Junsu’s hands like they were gold, “Please?”   
    
Something squished in Junsu’s insides as he saw the look on Yoochun face and it made him blush.  He nodded.   
    
Yoochun pulled Junsu up and they started to walk leisurely back towards campus.   
    
“I’m sorry for being so stupid about this,” Yoochun whispered, “Jaejoong was right, I should have just told you.”   
    
“I really hate to admit it, but Jaejoong is usually right.”   
    
Yoochun laughed and slid an arm around Junsu shoulders, pulling him closer.  Junsu couldn’t help but snuggle into the warmth the action created.   
    
“Changmin, however, I fully intend to harass.”   
    
Junsu felt a devious giggle press into his hair and he grinned.   
    
    
Changmin was desperately searching Soo Ae’s cabinets for more cough medicine but since seeing as she had just come back from Japan, everything in her apartment was bare.  Changmin cursed Jaejoong and his stupid plans (in several languages) for dragging him away from his Soo Ae.   
    
He abandoned his search when he heard Soo Ae calling for him.  he found her trying to get out of bed, wobbling on her her feet.  “Yah!  Wait, don’t...what are you doing?”   
    
Changmin caught her just as she took a particularly unsteady step.     
    
“I want to take a bath.”   
    
“You can’t even stand properly, you’ll drown.”   
    
“Don’t be silly, you’ll be with me.”   
    
Changmin sighed, stroking Soo Ae’s hair, “I will, will I?”   
    
He knew he was going to give in even before she squeezed him tightly and murmured an affirmative syllable which sounded like “ahmmm.”     
    
“Fine, but I’m not going in with you,”  he cradled her and listened to her attempt to sing him a love song she’d heard on the radio as he made his way into the bathroom.   
    
“Can’t ‘member all th’lyrics,” Soo Ae slurred, mind slightly blurred from sickness and medication, “All I ‘member is _I love you~  I loooooove youu~ you, you, you...”_   
    
“It’s a beautiful song,” Changmin assured her as he sat her down on the toilet seat so he could start filling the tub with water (and extra bubble bath.)  “Shirt first.”   
    
“You’re stud’iously not looking a m’body,” Soo Ae chided carefuly as Changmin gently pulled away the layers of clothing from her skin.  “You said you love to look at me.  _Looove you, Loove you...”_   
    
“I’m not looking at you for the same reason I’m not climbing into the tub with you.  it would be terrible of me to ravish you when you’re in this state.”   
    
“Such a gentleman,” Soo Ae kissed Changmin’s cheek.   
    
“Just get in so my control doesn’t slip,” Changmin lowered her slowly into the water and then kissed her shoulder as she relaxed against the tub’s.”   
    
“Loooove you~,” Soo Ae sang softly, “Loove...ooh.  Bubbles!”   
    
“Just for you.”   
    
“Soo Ae blew into the froth that was a good four or five inches thick and wrinkled her nose when some of the soapy suds flew back into her face.  “Pfah.”   
    
Changmin smakced her affectionately on the top of her head before he wiped the soap away.  “That’s what you get. Seriously, you’re like a five year old.”   
    
Soo Ae pouted.  “Wash me.”   
    
“Slave driver,” Changmin was already reaching for her body wash.   
    
“You love~ it.  Loooooveeee, looove love it.”   
    
“I love _you._ ”   
    
“Cheesy,” Soo Ae muttered, but she began to sing again as Changmin rubbed her shoulders.   
    
“I’m going to break my promise to myself if you continue to be so adorable.”   
    
Soo Ae smiled as she played with the bubbles and sung her “I love you’s” over and over.   
    
“Soo Ae,” Changmin slid a hand down her body, disappearing into the mass of bubbles and warm water.   
    
“Minnie-ah,” Soo Ae murmured, “your suppos’d to be gent’manly right now not...not...”   
    
Changmin had slid his hands further down her body, swirling the water around her soft skin, pale from illness.  “Not what?” He whispered.   
    
“ _Min_.”  Changmin kissed her neck as he slid his other hand into the water, no longer caring that the bubbles were sloshing onto his shirt.  “ _Now_ do you want t’join me?  Love?  Looooover spec _tac_ ’lar of mine?”   
    
Changmin had already pulled off his shirt before the bell to the apartment buzzed and he cursed loudly.  “Don’t slide underneath the water, I’ll be right back.”   
    
“I wouldn’t move if you paid me.”   
    
Changmin leaned down to kiss the blush in her cheeks that his wandering hands had caused.  The bell sounded again and he reluctantly pulled his shirt back on and walked to the door.   
    
He peaked through the peephole and saw Junsu standing at the door and looking like shit.  Changmin damned his hyung to hell and back several times over and then opened the door.   
    
“What. Do. You. Want?”   
    
“Can I come in?”   
    
“No.”   
    
“Minnie, _please_.  Yoochun’s really upset with me and I don’t know why and I don’t want to go back to yunho’s cause god knows what he and Jaejoong are doing and his is closer than-”   
    
“What exactly do you think I’m doing?”   
    
Junsu narrowed his eyes.  “You said Soo Ae was sick.  You shouldn’t be doing _anything_ , dongsaeng, except care for her.  Now let me in, I’m cold, tired, and very sad.”   
    
“This is Soo Ae’s home, you can’t just-”   
    
“Soo Ae loves me.  She won’t mind.  Besides, I’m good with sick people.”   
    
Changmin sighed.  “Fine, but stay out of my way, I don’t need your help to care for my girlfriend.”   
    
Junsu beamed and Changmin glowered as his friend plopped himself down on the couch, turning on the tv and flipping through the channels (most likely in search of a soccer game.)   
    
“I’ll be in the bathroom, don’t bother me.”  Changmin walked back to said room and making sure to lock the door behind him, he settled down next to the tub and caressed Soo Ae’s hair away form her face.   
    
“Was that Junsu’s voice I heard?”   
    
“Um...yeah.  He sort of invaded.”   
    
Soo Ae chuckled, her eyes closed, and Changmin swooped down to kiss her cheek. “Sorry,” he whispered.   
    
“It’s fine.  Wash my hair?”   
    
Changmin tweaked her nose, repeating his earlier statement of, “slave driver,” and reached for he shampoo, loving how the smell mixed with her tropical body wash.   
    
Soo Ae taught Changmin Japanese words while he massaged and rinsed, rolling their eyes every time they heard Junsu whoop from the living room.   
    
Changmin lifted her out carefully, lovingly and they sat her on the edge of the tub while it drained, finding a fluffy towel to dry her body.   
    
“So sleepy.”   
    
Changmin kissed her knee cap in response as he dried her legs.   
    
“So sweet,” she said as he kissed her other leg and he looked up at her to find a tear rolling down her cheek.   
    
“Whoa. Hey, don’t do that, that makes me sad.”   
    
He wrapped a towel around her securely, leaving her dirty clothes on the floor, and wiped at her face.   
    
“Don’t z’rve you.”   
    
“What?”   
    
“I don’t deserve you,” Soo Ae said carefully, speaking around the sleepiness of her medication.   
    
“Nonsense.  I love you, this is how I treat people that I love.  Let’s get you into pajamas and bed and then I will fully explain my utter and profuse love for you,” and he lifted her, fluffy towels and all, towards her bedroom.   
    
“Wait, lemme say hi t’Su.”   
    
Changmin snorted but dutifully carried her into the living room.   
    
“Susu!”     
    
Junsu turned and Changmin saw his friend’s brows raise in surprise.  “SooSoo!  You look...terrible...”   
    
Soo Ae laughed, “I have the best doctor,” she said and Changmin felt her arms tighten around him.  “Come hug me!”   
    
Junsu stood up but Changmin frowned and held his struggling Soo Ae against his chest.  “You’re going to get sicker if I don’t get you warm...and I need to pee.  Say good night.”   
    
Soo Ae pouted and Changmin thought he might just cave in on himself.  “You made me plenty warm, Minnie dear, I want a hug.”   
    
“You were making her warm, were you?”  Junsu clicked his tongue, “She’s sick, Minnie, really...I’ll get her into bed, you go pee, I don’t trust you.”   
    
Changmin spluttered but when he saw Soo Ae’s happy face at the thought of getting a SuHug, he set her on her feet.  “She had better still have a towel on, hyung, when I walk in there.”   
    
“I’m not a perve, unlike you.”   
    
“That is entirely debatable.”    
    
Changmin grumbled, entered the bathroom ( _again_ ) and ended up dumping Soo Ae’s dirty clothes in a hamper before he left ( _again_.)   
    
Soo Ae was sitting against her pillows, her towel draped across her, grinning widely.   
    
“Why are you smiling like that?”   
    
“I’m happy.  I have the best boyfriend in the world who has the best friends.”   
    
Changmin grumbled under his breath as he went in search of pajamas.  He pouted as he sat next to Soo Ae and slid her underthings onto her body.   
    
“What’re you pouting about?”   
    
“I would much rather be pulling these off of you rather than putting them on you.”   
    
Soo Ae’s laugh was muffled underneath the overly large shirt Changmin was slipping over her head.  “When did I ever say you had to put them on me?”   
    
Changmin sighed, pulling out her damp hair from the head hole and resigned himself to kissing her forehead; he had really wanted to kiss something else (all night,) it had been driving him crazy.   
    
“I know you didn’t.  But Junsu is here...it’s weird...”   
    
Soo Ae chuckled.  “Come here and kiss me, silly boy of mine.”   
    
Before Changmin could comply, the bell buzzed again.  “You have to fucking kidding me.”   
    
Soo Ae giggled.  “Go answer it.  I’ll be right here when you get back.”   
    
Swearing under his breath, (Changmin was sure his bad mouth was Yoochun’s fault;  he hadn’t sworn nearly as much as he did now that Yoochun hung around,) he peeped outside and almost had a heart attack.   
    
“Yoochun!  Why are you...why are you standing outside naked?  And how did you know where this apartment was?  _Why are you naked_?”   
    
“I called Jaejoong, he gave me directions and told me to show up naked.  Is Junsu here?  I really need to talk to him.”   
    
“Chunnie?”  Changmin gulped and glanced behind him.  Junsu stood there, eyes round.  “Why...you...you’re naked!”   
    
“Yes.  And I’m freezing, can I please come inside.  Can we talk, Junsu, please?”   
    
Changmin was grinding his teeth.  “Do you two have to do your talking HERE?  Seriously, you were supposed to talk at Yunho’s, not in my sick girlfriend’s apartment.”   
    
“You are ready to jump said sick girlfriend, so don’t start lecturing us.”    
    
Changmin watched in horror as Junsu let his gaze roam over Yoochun’s body.  He knew that look, he looked at Soo Ae like that occasionally, and it always led to long nights.   
    
“Let him in.”   
    
“No.”   
    
“Shim Changmin move your damn ass and go coddle your girlfriend, right now.”   
    
Before he even realized that he was doing it, Changmin was walking back to Soo Ae’s room.   
    
“Who was it?” Soo Ae asked curiously.   
    
“Yoochun,” Changmin mumbled and laid down on the bed, burying his head into a pillow.  He had a throbbing headache.   
    
“I want to meet him.”   
    
“Not right now you aren’t.  He’s ass naked.”   
    
Soo Ae laughed and Changmin sighed pleasurably as she ran fingers through his hair.  Neither of them moved for a long while and then Changmin started when he heard the shower start.   
    
“You have to be kidding me.”   
    
“It’s fine,” Soo Ae said, “Don’t worry.”   
    
“It’s not fine, this...this was supposed to be for us, this...”  Changmin trailed off and felt his blood pressure build as he heard a moan from the bathroom.  “I’m going to _murder_ them.”   
    
He made as if to stand but Soo Ae wrapped her arms around his middle and held him steady.  Another moan sounded and Changmin almost bit his tongue off.  “Soo Ae, let me go, I’m going to kick them out.”   
    
“Minnie.”   
    
Changmin turned around and gaped at Soo Ae who was grinning madly.  “Who are you and what have you done with my Soo Ae?  She would be really mad right now and you’re... _smiling_.”   
    
“You deserve this, you were mean to them earlier.”   
    
“Wh-what?”  Changmin stared at her, “Are you...what the hell?”   
    
Soo Ae pulled him closer, sliding hands down his body like he had done to her earlier, making him inhale sharply as another faint gasp was heard from the bathroom.   
    
“You were mean to them.  They’re getting back at you.”   
    
“They...they set this up?”  Changmin’s eyes fell shut as he tried to think past Soo Ae’s hands on his body.   
    
“Yes,” Soo Ae’s voice was angelic in his ear, “Junsu made sure it was okay with me when you in the bathroom.  And I said yes, because you were really mean and you deserve to be punished.”   
    
“I can’t believe you said yes,” Changmin’s hands were doing things of their own accord, finding her clothing and pulling gently at the pieces, wishing desperately he could undo what he had done.   
    
“Well...I figured, with the two of them occupied, we could makes some noises of our own...”   
    
“You’re...ill...” Changmin was already lifting her shirt off.   
    
“I’m yours tonight, Minnie dearest,”  Soo Ae fell back against the pillows and Changmin swallowed.  ‘You _did_ say you wanted to take them off...”   
    
Another moan from the bathroom was all it took and Changmin was soon kissing all the parts of Soo Ae’s body he had been staring at all night long.  The I love you’s that he elicited from her were sweeter than any song she could have sung him.   
    
    
    
Omake:   
    
“You’re naked...you weren’t supposed to show up naked!”   
    
“When did I agree to that rule?  I thought it would help you look genuinely surprised...and aroused.”   
    
“I...well..”   
    
“You love me naked.”   
    
*moaning from Soo Ae’s bedroom*   
    
“God, come here, Chunnie, if they’re gonna do it all night, so are we.”   
 


	5. Accommodations

Jaejoong hadn’t been to Yunho’s office often.  The first three times had been to haggle over a few points that had been taken off Jaejoong’s exams.  Jaejoong had been too focused on his arguments to notice his surroundings. The fourth time had been when Yunho had asked him to be a TA, the fifth when lesson plans had been handed over.  Jaejoong had then been too pre-occupied with people (one beautiful, several retarded) to notice the state of Yunho’s office.  
   
This his sixth visit to the seventh floor he had no distractions.  Yunho had asked him to run up to his office to grab the attendance list before their first class and now staring at the utter chaos in front of him, Jaejoong was sure he would never find it in the ten minutes before class.  
   
“Does he ever clean?”  
   
Jaejoong ground his teeth and headed towards the blue filing cabinet where Yunho said the list would be and to his great surprise he found it with relative ease.  It seemed that papers inside the filing cabinet were the happy ones: Jaejoong was sure that Yunho’s problem was that he never put back anything he took out, something the newly instated TA intended to change.    
   
Jaejoong allowed himself a pat on the back when he got back to the classroom at the same time Yunho returned from the bathroom.  
   
“What would you do without me?” Jaejoong asked as he handed Yunho the list.  
   
“Hope my bladder held out through class.”  
   
Jaejoong laughed, “The school newspaper would have a field day: Professor chooses class over bathroom and pees himself while lecturing about legal drafting.”  
   
“Hilarious.”  
   
“I know.”  
   
Yunho rolled his eyes and opened the door to a lecture hall almost filled to brimming with students.  Jaejoong almost cringed when he saw Yunho swipe his eyes across the students who were paying them no heed.  Jaejoong managed to remember in time that he was not a student and there was no need to wince at that look.  
   
Jaejoong plopped himself down in a chair next to the desk and watched as the students began to throw anxious glances at Yunho and the large pile of papers that he was organizing.  
   
At ten o’clock on the nose, Yunho shut the door and wrote his name on the white board behind him.  
   
“Right, so...”  It a took a few seconds, but the talking finally stopped and Jaejoong felt a familiar thrill as Yunho smiled at the students.    
   
_That smile is mine now._  
   
“This is Legal Writing so if you’re in the wrong class pack up quick and get to where you’re supposed to be.” After no one moved, Yunho continued, “I prefer to be called Yunho, this is Jaejoong, he’s my TA.”  
   
Jaejoong inclined his head by way of greeting.  
   
“You’ve probably heard a lot about me, so I’ll just tell you now, all the rumors that I’ve heard about myself are true.”  
   
Jaejoong swore he saw a few students pale.  
   
“Having said that, I have a few rules about my classroom to lay down.  Firstly I expect you to be here on time.  You are paying for every minute you are here, and I am not going to waste my time teaching you if you walk into my classroom late.  However, if you have a legitimate reason you may explain yourself and if it you are honest I will allow you to stay.”  
   
As if God himself had ben watching and decided to intervene for the purposes of entertainment, the door opened a lone straggler walked into the room.  Jaejoong sighed.  
   
“How fortuitous,” Yunho said and addressed the girl standing awkwardly, books and papers piled precariously in her arms, “My class began five minutes ago.”  
   
“Wrong classroom,” the girl muttered.  
   
Yunho raised an eyebrow making the girl blush and look down at the floor, “Are you sure you’re in the right room this time?”  
   
“Yes. I had someone else read me the room number.”  
   
Yunho’s other eyebrow raised.  
   
The girl mumbled something quietly.  
   
“Sorry, I didn’t catch that.”  
   
“She’s _dyslexic._ ” Jaejoong frowned at the derogatory tone and found the speaker, another girl, her feet up on the seat in front of her looking incredibly smug.  Jaejoong decided he didn’t like her.  
   
“What’s your name,” he asked, not really caring that Yunho had drawn a breath to speak.  
   
“Son Sangmi.”  
   
“You said that like she should be ashamed of it.”  
   
“I’m her cousin, I can say whatever I like about her.”  
   
“And what’s your name,” Yunho asked very gently and Jaejoong looked back to the girl still standing in the middle of the room.  He felt a small pang in his heart when he saw that she was trying to hold back tears.  
   
“Son Yejin,” Jaejoong had to strain to hear her.  
   
“Have a seat, Yejin,” Yunho spoke kindly again, “I’m glad you found the right room.”    
   
Yejin looked relieved and walked down to sit in front of Jaejoong.  He smiled kindly at her and he laughed to himself quietly as her blush spread.  
   
“Second rule.  No insults in this room whatsoever and that includes the tone of voice.”  Yunho threw a pointed stare at Sangmi.  “Insults and badmouthing will get you in trouble in court and they will get you in trouble here.”  
   
Jaejoong saw Sangmi roll her eyes but decided not to say anything.  He was already tired of hearing her voice.  
   
“Third, what I say goes.  If you respect me, I will respect you.  Also, you will treat Jaejoong as you would treat me; he is, for all intents and purposes of this class, just as much your professor as I am...even if he won’t be talking as much”  
   
A few students tittered at this statement and Jaejoong hoped his smile would distract the class from noticing his blush.  
   
“Now that that’s out of the way, let’s see who’s here...”  
   
Jaejoong didn’t do much the first class.  He handed out syllabi and an assignment due next class which he intended to berate Yunho’s lazy ass for later.  
   
However, he decided that not being a student and sitting in Yunho’s class was a wonderful thing.  He could stare at Yunho all he wanted when he didn’t have to take notes, which, Jaejoong noted, felt very strange.  His fingers were twitching and every once and awhile Yunho would smirk at Jaejoong as he took a breath between sentences.   
   
The class finished without much fanfare and Jaejoong waited as all the students filed out.  
   
He didn’t notice that Yejin had stayed behind until she was standing in front of him, books properly tucked into her bag, a piece of paper in her hand.  
   
“My...my disability slip,” she said quietly.  
   
“Yunho is the one you need to give it to,” Jaejoong took it anyway and handed it up to the professor who had appeared beside him.  
   
Yunho barely glanced at the signatures as he slid the paper into a folder.  “Do you need extra time for in class exercises?”  
   
Yejin nodded, “I don’t need to be in a separate room, though.”   
   
“We’ll work it out.  I have something planned for next class.  We’ll see how long it takes you and I’ll plan my time limits around you.  Is that fair?”  
   
Yejin smiled and Jaejoong thought he liked her happy much more than embarressed.  
   
“Are you okay,” he asked, “your...cousin didn’t seem to nice.”  
   
Yejin’s smile disappeared and Jaejoong immediately regretted bringing it up.  “I’m used to it. I...”  She bit her lip and looked at Yunho, “I need...accommodations...but I don’t like being coddled.  I’m smart.”  
   
Yunho nodded, “I can tell.  I won’t treat you any different unless you request it.  I’m sure you have plenty of professors who treat you like you’re dumb.”  
   
Yejin nodded.  
   
“I find that people with learning disabilities are the smartest ones,” Jaejoong added, “disabilities isn’t really the right word.  Your brain just works too fast for the rest of your body.  At least, that’s how I’ve heard it explained.”  
   
The girl’s smile returned and Jaejoong officially decided that he liked Yejin a lot.  
   
   
This turned out to be good thing.  Yejin was also enrolled in Introduction to Law.  Jaejoong broke out into a grin when he saw her in the classroom later that day and he mouthed, “right classroom?” making her laugh.  His mirth died momentarily when he noticed Sangmi sitting with feet on the chair in front of her, not really minding that they were in the way of the person sitting in front of her.  
   
Jaejoong watched with interest through Yunho’s lecture as the boy became more and more agitated until midway through the class period when he slammed his hands down in front of him and turned around screaming, “Do. You. MIND?  I can’t really focus with your feet thwacking the back of my head!”  
   
Yunho had paused mid sentence, dry erase marker poised to write.  
   
“I’ll put my feet wherever I damn well please,” Sangmi snapped.  
   
“Put your feet on the floor, Sangmi.”  Yunho requested firmly.  
   
“You can move if you don’t like it,” Sangmi informed the boy who was flushed with anger.  
   
“You moving your feet is easier than me moving all of my shit.”  
   
“Like I care.”  
   
“Your grade will care if you don’t sit properly,” Yunho cut in again.  
   
This got Sangmi’s attention and she sneered.  “You can’t do that.”  
   
“I can do that.  You are disrupting this class and making it impossible for us to continue, resulting in zero class participation from everyone.  Since you are the one that caused it, you can take full responsibility and I will mark you absent.  And marks like those are never good in my classes.  Put your feet down.”  
   
Sangmi glared at Yunho before relenting and placing her feet on the floor in front of her.  
   
“Thank you,” the boy said exasperatedly. “Sorry for yelling,” he apologized and Yunho waved him off.  
   
   
Yejin had handed Yunho her another slip at the end of the period, and Yunho once again promised to work out something with her concerning time.  
   
“You like her,” Yunho commented as they rode the elevator to the seventh floor, “You shouldn’t get too attached to students.”  
   
“Look who’s talking,” Jaejoong replied, thankful that they were alone. “You’re just acting like a jealous lover, get over it.”  
   
“Go somewhere with me.”  
   
“Now?” Jaejoong decided to ignore Yunho’s sudden change in topic, “I can’t, I have to get back to my sister’s so Yoochun can go to class.”  
   
“...what?”  
   
“I told you this,” The elevator dinged and Jaejoong stepped out as the doors slid open, “I’m staying at my sisters because I didn’t want to have to pay the school to stay on campus.”  
   
Yunho shifted his folders and unlocked his office. “But what does that have to do with Yoochun and class?”  
   
“He’s watching my nephews and nieces while I’m here.  Were you listening at all when I was telling you this?  My sister is traveling all summer for work so in exchange for staying at her house for free, I’m watching her kids.”  
   
“I don’t remember that at all.  Are you sure you told me?  Was I asleep?”  
   
“You officially cannot give me any more grief for spacing out.”  
   
Yunho sighed and then asked in a quiet voice.  “So we can’t do anything?”  
   
“You can come for dinner,” Jaejoong offered in a whisper, “Chunnie usually shows up after class, I’ll bet he’ll watch them for the night so we can go out.”   
   
“Okay.”  
   
Jaejoong pulled a blank piece of paper off of Yunho’s desk and wrote down directions on it.  “By the way,” he said, “I’m going to clean your office.”  
   
“When are you going to have time to do that exactly?”  
   
“Oh I’ll find it.  This mess is ridiculous.”  
   
“I’ll find things to keep you busy so that you can’t clean it.”  
   
Jaejoong looked up and spitted Yunho with what he hoped was a stern glare, “You wouldn’t dare.”  
   
He felt a small amount of satisfaction when Yunho’s facade cracked.  “You’re right.  I wouldn’t.”  
   
Jaejoong smiled and handed his professor the directions. “Six,” he said softly, “be on time.”  
   
Yunho scoffed.  Jaejoong grinned and leaned in for a kiss, but Yunho took a step back and shook his head, “People in the hallway,” he murmured, “later.”  
   
Jaejoong let out a breath and walked out, waving over his shoulder as he left, “see you later then.”  
   
   
Jaejoong was testing his rice when he heard the doorbell ring. Shifting the sleeping child in his arms, he stood and went to the door, opening it to reveal Yunho.  
   
“Hi,” Jaejoong said softly.  
   
“I’d give you this,” Yunho lifted the bottle of wine Jaejoong had requested, “but it looks like you have your hands full.  
   
Jaejoong patted the black pigtails as he made room for Yunho to step inside, “This is Sun Hea.”  
   
“She’s sleeping,” Yunho seemed to be unsure of what else to say.  
   
“Excellent observation skills, professor.  You can put the wine on the counter.”  
   
“How many kids are there?”  
   
“You really weren’t paying any attention when we talked about this were you?”    
   
Yunho groaned, burying his face in his arms as he sat on a stool and Jaejoong went back to his vegetables and meat. “I’m _sorry_.  I don’t know why I don’t remember,” he looked up hopefully, “I bet it was because I was just stunned by your beauty.”    
   
“You stunned me for the past three years, yet I retained everything you said and it wasn’t even about your private life!”  
   
Yunho pouted and Jaejoong found himself crumbling.  
   
“Sun Hea is two. Ha-Neul is five and Seungyon just turned ten.”    
   
“Where are the other two?”  
   
“Yoochun and Junsu took them out to get juice at the store up the street.  They’ll be back soon.”  
   
“Is Changmin here too?”  
   
Jaejoong shook his head, “He’s currently not speaking to Yoochun and Junsu.  Plus, he went home to visit his mother because Soo Ae had something to do...somewhere...”  
   
Sun Hea began to shift in Jaejoong’s arms at the noise and she blinked awake slowly.  “Good evening, Princess.”  Jaejoong cooed, pulling her pigtails affectionately, “I thought you were going to sleep through dinner.”  
   
Sun Hea stretched, her hand barely missing Jaejoong’s glasses.  She noticed Yunho after a moment of eye rubbing and pointed at him, looking at Jaejoong questioningly.  
   
“This is Yunho.”  
   
“Pretty.”  
   
Jaejoong laughed.  
   
“Thank you,” Yunho managed around his blush and Jaejoong couldn’t help but giggle as his beau cleared his throat awkwardly.  
   
“Su?”  
   
“Junsu is with Ha-Neul and Seungyon.  They will be back soon.”  
   
Jaejoong began to pull dishes from cabinets, smiling as Yunho began to set the table with the utensils being set on the counter.  “So nice,” Jaejoong murmured, “I didn’t even have to ask.”  
   
Yunho laughed over Sun Hea’s mumbling to herself and pressed a very quick kiss to Jaejoong’s forehead.  “I learned my lesson,” he said, and Jaejoong grinned remembering the incident with the chopsticks.  
   
There was the sound of the front door opening and Junsu’s laughter floated their way.  Sun Hea immediately wriggled and Jaejoong set her down just as the last four of their party waltzed into the room.  
   
The two year old walked straight up to Junsu, holding her arms up, demanding to be held.   
   
Junsu swung her up and ten-year-old Seungyon scoffed as he walked by, handing juice to Jaejoong.  “You spoil her.”  
   
Junsu ignored Seungyon and tickled Sun Hea, “Were you good?”  
   
Sun Hea clapped her hands, “Good!”  
   
“I got something for you; you can have it tonight when you go to bed but only if you swear you were good.”  
   
“I good,” Sun Hea said, “Sun Hea sleep.”  
   
Yoochun laughed and came behind his boyfriend to tap Sun Hea’s nose, “You were sleeping therefore you didn’t cause any trouble.  How logical.”  
   
“Will you be good for the rest of the night?”  
   
“She hit her terrible two’s,” Jaejoong whispered into Yunho’s ear as Junsu continued to tickle the youngest, “and for some reason she behaves better when Junsu’s around.”  Yunho shivered and Jaejoong poked his side, giving him a stern look.  
   
“I didn’t do anything,” Yunho protested.  
   
“You were _thinking_ something,” Jaejoong smirked as Yunho blushed, “I’ll forgive you if you tell me later.”  
   
“I might.”  
   
Jaejoong huffed.  “Everyone sit.  Dinner.”  
   
Jaejoong introduced Yunho to Seungyon as the boy sat next to him and then Ha-Neul when she emerged from the bathroom with clean hands.    
   
Dinner was generally chaotic.  Sun Hea refused to eat half way through dinner and Junsu ended up leaving the table with her to put her to bed early.  
   
Ha-Neul took a liking to Yunho and despite Jaejoong attempts to keep the five year old in her seat, every time he looked away for a second, she would slip from her chair and insist that she sit upon Yunho’s lap and eat the food from his plate because she was sure that it tasted better.  Jaejoong gave up when Yunho finally lifted the girl onto his knee and allowed her to attempt to grab food with her rudimentary skill with chopsticks.  
   
Seungyon sulked.  Jaejoong swore he had somehow reached his teenage years early.  Yoochun tried to coax words out of him but the ten-year-old’s replies sounded like Sun Hea’s stuttered speech.  It was terribly embarrassing.  
   
“They were just being kids,” Yunho whispered later in the evening as they walked through the streets of Seoul, “My presence didn’t help at all, I’m sure Ha-Neul usually listens very well.”  
   
Jaejoong nodded as Yunho squeezed his hand tighter and then slid an arm around his shoulders. “I liked them,” he murmured, “really.  They were adorable.”  
   
Yunho pulled Jaejoong into one of Seoul’s many parks and down onto a bench hidden in trees and shadows, allowing the younger man to snuggle into his side.  
   
“We really didn’t do much tonight,” Jaejoong murmured, “I’m sorry.”  
   
“It’s okay.  We’ll just plan better next time.  Besides, I still had fun.”  
   
“Thank you for asking me to TA.”  Jaejoong knew it was completely random but he figured everything that day had been so off the cuff Yunho would most like find it amusing.  Jaejoong was rewarded with a gentle chuckle and a kiss to the crown of his head.  
   
“I had to get close to you somehow.  I’m sorry we can’t be like a normal couple.”  
   
Jaejoong hit him.  “Don’t be stupid.  This is more than I ever dreamed of being able to do.”  
   
“I want to kiss you breathless every time I see you.”  
   
“You would scandalize your students,” Jaejoong murmured, trying to ignore the butterflies that had been set off in his stomach. “Probably get fired...”  
   
He felt his face being lifted and Yunho’s breath ghosted over his face, “ _Our_ students,” before he forgot everything except the feel of Yunho’s lips on his.  
   
“And I would gladly be fired if it meant more of you.”  
   
Jaejoong kept his eyes closed, licking his lips, hoping for more, “you don’t have to be fired for more of me.  I’m always willing...free of charge.”  
   
Another kiss scattered his thoughts.  
   
“You should go home,” Yunho murmured against Jaejoong’s throat, “God...we just started dating and we already have kids in the way.”  
   
Jaejoong laughed.  “You just said you liked them.” Laughing turned to gasping as teeth found sensitive skin and hands slid places they shouldn’t go in front of children.  
   
“I like you more...and I really want to take you home.”  
   
“Yunho...”  
   
“I know.”  Yunho sighed and pulled Jaejoong to his feet, giving him a chaste kiss, fixing his clothes.  “Come on, I shall escourt you home like a good gentleman ought.”  
   
“I am not a woman.”  
   
“No, but you did make dinner, and you are taking care of three kids, _and_ you bought me ice cream.  Therefore, logically, I should be the one walking you home.”  
   
Jaejoong took Yunho’s hand, shaking his head.  “That makes no sense, but okay.  I’ll let you walk me home.”  
   
“It makes perfect sense.” Yunho argued, “you’ve done everything for me tonight, so it’s my turn to do something for you.”  
   
“You’ve done plenty for me!”  
   
“Name one thing.”  
   
Jaejoong stopped in the middle of the pathway and turned to face Yunho.  Yunho’s face was illuminated by the lamp light and Jaejoong knew, somewhere inside him, that it was the best face in the world.  
   
One gentle, careful, loving kiss later had Jaejoong murmuring, “You made me happy.”


	6. It's a Love Affair

Yunho was trying to find one of Jaejoong’s old papers to hand out to the Legal Writing class as an example of what constituted an A, when Donghae bounced in, not noticing the pile of papers that his entrance had scattered.  Yunho sighed.  Jaejoong was going to kill him.  
   
“Guess what?”  
   
Yunho tore his eyes from the mess on the floor and faced his overly excited colleague and smiled as he saw two other people standing next to him.  
   
“Kibum has a girlfriend.”  Donghae gestured broadly (proudly, really) towards the man beside him who had an arm draped across slender shoulders.  
   
“Nice to see you again,” Yunho nodded to the girl (she looked young enough to be one of Kibum’s students, but Yunho wasn’t about to judge,) and smirked inwardly as Donghae began to splutter.  
   
“Wait, you _knew_?”  
   
“Of course he knew,” Kibum spoke, “I had to tell someone and if I had told you a month ago, the whole campus would have known sooner than need be.”  
   
“I’m good at keeping secrets,” Donghae protested, “Aren’t I, Yunho?”  
   
Yunho glared at him.  
   
Kibum chuckled.  “Good thing you already told me about that student of yours, Yunho, or you’d have some awkward  explaining to do.”  
   
“Can we not discuss this here?” Yunho cast an anxious glance out of his office.  There were quite a few well-known campus gossipers who had offices next to his.  
   
“How many people did you tell?”  Donghae asked out of curiosity, ignoring Yunho’s desperate attempts to forestall discussion on the matter.  
   
“That are here at the University?  You two...and Leeteuk hyung,” Yunho said anxiously, naming the professor of pediatrics, “who probably told Kangin...so...four.  You had better keep it that way.”  
   
Donghae mock saluted.  “Yes sir.  I told Hyukkie though...”  
   
“Okay, so counting the zooologist, five.  If it grows to six, I will castrate you.”  
   
Yunho patted his friend’s paling cheek and placed the rumpled documents back on his desk.  “Now all of you get out.  I have work to do and people to see tonight.”  
   
Kibum’s girlfriend smiled nervously (it was good to know he could make people nervous outside of the classroom) and dragged the veterinarian away as he waved over his shoulder.  
   
Donghae shut the door after them and leered at his friend.  “Don’t you mean you have work to _see_ and people to _do_?”  
   
“Seeing work makes no sense.”  
   
“Like you’re going to accomplish anything.  You’re going to stare at it and daydream about all the doing which will be taking place tonight.”  
   
Yunho was momentarily reminded of Yoochun and the professor made a mental note to never introduce his student to the biologist.  Ever.  “No.  I’m having dinner with Jaejoong and then we’re going out to see an early movie so he will be back at his sister’s apartment at a reasonable hour so he can be up in time to get his sister’s kids off to school.”  
   
“Wow, do I sense some resentment there?”   
   
Yunho flopped into his swivel chair.  “Not really.  It’s not like I ever expected our relationship to be normal in any respect.”  
   
Donghae sat across from Yunho and regarded his friend. “But you want it to be?”  
   
“Of course I do, we both do.  But...we both realize that it just can’t be that way.  I’m a lawyer who worked for a year before being sent here to teach because I wanted to go against my superiors...and I am strongly attracted to one of my male students who emulates me and just wants to graduate so he can get into the court room and prosecute to his heart’s content.”  
   
“You’ve done a spectacular job preparing him,” Donghae said kindly.  
   
“Your strange bi-polarism is giving me a headache.  Hyper or kind, pick one.”  
   
“Hyper,” Donghae stood grinning, “and you better not let Leeteuk hear that definition, or you’ll find yourself sitting in on one of his lectures.”  
   
“I’m well aware of that, thank you,” Yunho snapped, but he was smiling, “I really have lots to correct before I leave...talk to you later?”  
   
“Drinks.  I want to spend some time with Jaejoong, I have yet to officially approve.”  
   
“Prick.”  
   
“You love me.”  
   
As Donghae was leaving, Yunho’s phone signaled that he had a message.  _Can you come early...with rice?_  
   
Yunho frowned and dialed Jaejoong’s number.  Jaejoong without rice seemed slightly unthinkable.  
   
He didn’t even wait for a greeting. “What’s wrong?”    
   
Jaejoong sighed.  “Nothing, I just can’t leave the house right now to get any rice.”  
   
“Why not?”  
   
“Because Chunnie isn’t here and I just had to put Sun Hea in time out because she was being...difficult...and Ha-Neul is covered in finger paint and by the time I get her clean I’ll have to start cooking...no time.”  
   
“Take a breath,” Yunho soothed, hoping he had just properly understood the jumble of Korean, “Relax, I’ll bring you rice.”  
   
“Soon?”  
   
“Soon.”  
   
“Okay.  Yon Hea is rubbing paint on the wall, I have to go.”    
   
Yunho thought Jaejoong sounded strangely calm.  
   
“Don’t be too mad.”  
   
“I’m past it.”  
   
“Go save your wall.”  
   
“See you tonight.”  
   
“With lots of rice,” Yunho promised.  
   
He chuckled as he heard Jaejoong say, “Ha-Neul, paint is not-” before the line was cut.  Yunho split the pile of papers in front of him and put one half in his brief case to give to his TA to correct.  He could read a few papers before leaving. 

\--  
   
Yunho arrived earlier than he had planned because he’d given up on reading the papers.  A few had been tolerable, some even amusing, but not really in any way evocative of what he wanted.  He had wondered briefly if any of them had been paying attention when Jaejoong had explained the assignment.  He had given Jaejoong Yejin’s paper and Yunho desperately hoped that it was as tolerable as the rest of her work had been.  He hated it watch Jaejoong get depressed because he had to mark points off of his favorite student’s grades.  “Now you know how I felt,” Yunho had teased.  
   
“You always gave me the points back,” had been the curt reply.  
   
“Only because you argued effectively.  I showed zero favoritism.”  
   
Jaejoong had pulled a face and replied sourly, “I _know_ ,” and Yunho had laughed, thanked the heavens that their exchange had happened at his apartment, and kissed Jaejoong’s face until he was smiling again.  
   
The memory had Yunho grinning like an idiot when Jaejoong opened the door and Yunho pulled his boyfriend into a hug (rice and Sun Hea included) making Jaejoong squeak in protest and Sun Hea wiggle her little frame.  Yunho pulled away only when Sun Hea’s squirming became uncomfortable.  
   
“Don’t do that,” Jaejoong muttered once he had put Sun Hea down, watching the girl as she ran awkwardly back down the hall yelling “Su!  Su!”   
   
Yunho only smirked and proceeded to plop the bag of rice onto the counter and scoop Jaejoong into his arms once again.  “Why?”  
   
“Too abrupt.  Awkward.”  
   
“You love it.”  Yunho let him go and pushed him towards the rice.    
   
He heard Junsu’s laughter and Yoochun gentle voice say, “Don’t strangle him, Sun Hea.”  
   
“Are they always here?”  
   
“They will be every time you want to do something by ourselves at night.  Seungyon!”  
   
The ten year old boy poked his head into the kitchen and nodded a greeting to Yunho before standing next to Jaejoong.  
   
“Is the table set yet?”  Jaejoong’s tone of voice made it clear that he already knew the answer to the question.  
   
“Not...really.”  
   
Jaejoong sighed and Yunho winked at kid as he stole a piece of meat while Jaejoong turned to wipe his hands.  He began to pull plates down and Yunho pushed him aside. “Rice,” he reminded, “I’ll do this.”  
   
“Seungyon, what is in your mouth?” Jaejoong demanded, and the boy grabbed plates from Yunho and dashed from the room in order to avoid answering the question.  
   
Yunho patted the top of Jaejoong’s head and swiftly grabbed a morsel of food. “Meat, of course.  I like him, he’s cheeky.”  Jaejoong began to splutter again and Yunho pressed his lips to the corner of the cook’s mouth, whispering, “It’s delicious.”  
   
The mouth in particular quirked oddly and Yunho tapped Jaejoong’s nose.  “Rice.”  
   
“You’re worse than Minnie,” Jaejoong complained.  
   
“I guess I’m just filling in, then, since he isn’t here.”  
   
Jaejoong groaned.  “He is coming, though...and he’s bringing Soo Ae.”  
   
“Oh good.  I’ll get to meet her.”  
   
“You’ll never be the same.  I’m afraid for Min sometimes, if they get married I don’t know how they’re going to pay for all the food they’ll need.”  
   
Yunho laughed.  “So...they’re really serious then?”  
   
“Min is,” Jaejoong plugged the rice cooker in and then helped Yunho to take out glasses and chopsticks for Seungyon to arrange.  “I don’t really know how Soo Ae feels about it.”  
   
Yunho pulled Jaejoong close and let the younger pillow his head on a shoulder.    
   
“Ew.  Okay.  I’m not gonna set the table if I have to deal with this.”  
   
Jaejoong made as if to smack Seungyon, albeit gently, but Yunho held his student firmly around the waist. “We’re not doing anything,” Jaejoong looked desperate.  
   
“Though we _could_...”   
   
Yunho lowered his head slightly to nuzzle Jaejoong’s neck and Seungyon groaned, “You two are worse than Junsu and Yoochun.  I’m going back in with them, tell me when you’re done.”  
   
“You’re _ten_ ,” Jaejoong practically shouted, “You aren’t supposed to be this angsty and...and knowledgable about...stuff...what has my sister done to you?”  
   
“She didn’t do anything to me,” Seungyon said over his shoulder with a flip of his hand, “She just has too many boyfriends.”  
   
“Oh my God,” Jaejoong muttered, mortified, “If he was my kid he would be so dead.”  
   
“I heard that!”  
   
“You wanna test me?” Jaejoong yelled back, “I’ll so ground your ass until next year!”  
   
The only sound was Yoochun asking very gently what had happened.  
   
“I swear he’s sixteen.  He has to be.”  
   
“Some kids grow up fast.”  
   
“I wouldn’t have believed it until now.”  
   
The two made their way into the living area and where Jaejoong smacked the top of Seungyon’s head as he passed.  “Table.”  
   
The boy grumbled but pushed himself off of the couch.   
   
“Hi Yunho,” Yoochun smiled warmly.  
   
“Hi,” Yunho replied, sitting down in the seat Seungyon had vacated and then promptly finding his lap full of Jaejoong who closed his eyes and apparently decided to sleep.  
   
Junsu waved distractedly from his chair as he balanced Sun Hea on his knee.  He was helping her to pull clothes on a doll that Yunho remembered Jaejoong buying a few days ago when they had gone out for lunch.  
   
Ha-Neul handed Yoochun the doll she had been cradling and wandered over to him.  “I want to sit on your lap,” she informed him.  
   
“My lap is full at the moment, Ha-Neul.”  
   
The little girl regarded Jaejoong’s dozing form - Yunho wasn’t sure if Jaejoong had really fallen asleep that quick or if he was too tired to speak - and crossed her arms.  
   
“Then I’ll sit on uncle!”  
   
“Uncle’s too tired,” Jaejoong muttered.  
   
_Okay, not sleeping._  
   
“Wake up!”  Ha-Neul demanded, and at the same time, the door bell rang.  It was a loud mixture of sound that made Jaejoong wince and Yunho frowned.  Jaejoong seemed so...tired.  Yunho wondered if he should even bother giving Jaejoong the papers he had brought with him.  
   
“I’ll get it,” Yoochun stood and swung Ha-Neul up into his arms, “and you can come with me.”  
   
“Wanna sit with JaeJae!”  
   
“Don’t you wanna see Minnie?”  
   
“He ate my lollipop!  No like!”  
   
Jaejoong let out a sigh and shifted, his head falling on the couch’s arm rest.   
   
“Are you okay?”  Yunho asked quietly, “you’re not yourself today.”  
   
Yunho heard Yoochun open the door and Changmin’s loud exclamation of “Is the food done yet?”  
   
Jaejoong started to rearrange his limbs to stand but Yunho held him down.  “Just rest.  There’s no way the rice is done yet.”  
   
The younger relented, relaxing slightly.  Yunho found himself stroking Jaejoong’s hair, his worry in creasing, laughter echoing from the hallway and Ha-Neul’s indignant shrieking over something.  
   
“What is it?”  
   
“Later.”  
   
Yunho flicked his eyes to Junsu who was watching them curiously over Sun Hea’s head.  
   
“Okay.”  
   
The laughter grew louder and Yunho looked up as Changmin and Yoochun came into the room, Ha-Neul in Changmin’s arms with her face screwed up unpleasantly.  Jaejoong stood before Yunho had time to grab him and took Ha-Neul who had started to flail.  
   
“Stop being so silly, you’ve always loved Minnie.”  
   
“Yunho!”  Changmin was grinning.  “This is Soo Ae.”  
   
Yunho craned his neck back further, smiling, but then felt his insides go cold as he saw the girl Changmin was holding onto.  
   
_It couldn’t be._    
   
“Soo Ae, this is Yunho.”  
   
_Kibummie’s girlfriend?_


	7. Souls, Hands, and Couch Cushions

It took a moment for Yunho to completely register what he was seeing.  He tried to remember what Kibum had called his girlfriend.  Had it been Soo Ae?  Yunho couldn’t recall, but it didn’t matter.  As a professor he was good at memorizing faces he’d only seen once or twice and it was definitely her standing next to him looking extraordinarily nervous.  _She ought to be._     
   
He stood, “Nice to see you again.”  
   
Yunho had never felt so furious in all his life.  Here was a woman who was philandering with two of his friends.  One of whom was extraordinarily close to his boyfriend.  The hurt that Changmin was going to have to face at some point made Yunho want to punch the woman in the face.  Immediately.  
   
“You’ve met?”  Jaejoong’s arm slid around Yunho’s waist, curious and yet seemingly pleased.  
   
Yunho met Soo Ae’s eyes and felt his resolve to oust everything crumble under her pleading gaze.  Perhaps it wasn’t the best time or way to confront this.  
   
“I accidentally bumped into her earlier today.”  
   
“At the coffeeshop,” Soo Ae added, sounding relieved.  
   
 _Same voice_ , Yunho’s heart sunk.  
   
“After your doctor’s appointment,” Chagmin asked curiously.  
   
“Um...yeah.” Soo Ae smiled up at Changmin.  
   
“You never told me how that went.”  
   
“Fine.  He...said I was doing fine,” Soo Ae mumbled, blushing, and Yunho could imagine just how fine his doctor friend had told Soo Ae she was.  Bitch.  
   
“You’re flushed, love,” Changmin herded her further into the room, wrapping an arm around her, “Go sit, Soo Ae, you’re still weak.  How have you been walking around?”  
   
“I’m fine, Min, really.”   
   
Yunho watched as Changmin pushed Soo Ae towards a chair and made her sit down on the love seat that Yoochun had vacated.  
   
“Sit.”  
   
Yunho felt a gentle caress on a his cheek and he turned to find Jaejoong looking at him concernedly.  
   
“Are you okay, Yunho,” Jaejoong whispered quietly, “You look like you’re in pain.”  
   
“I’m fine,” Yunho sat back down on the couch and pulled Jaejoong down with him.  
   
Jaejoong smiled, obviously pleased that Yunho wanted to continue their cuddle time and relaxed against the couch’s arm rest again, his legs thrown over Yunho’s lap, his head on Yunho’s shoulder.  
   
Yunho wormed his hands into Jaejoong’s and squeezed hard, hoping the love that was radiating towards him would ease the pain which threatened to envelop his previously pleasant mood.  
   
“How was your semester Soo Ae?”  Junsu asked, “I didn’t really get to ask you when I saw you last.”  
   
“Gee, I wonder why,” Changmin replied sourly, and Yunho had to force himself to keep a straight face as Changmin pulled Soo Ae closer, planting a gentle kiss on her forehead.  
   
He didn’t really take in much of the conversation after that.  He zoned out, focusing instead on Jaejoong.  How Jaejoong felt against him, how Jaejoong looked, tired but beautiful, smiling and laughing at his friends.  Yunho noticed that Jaejoong’s hands were beautiful,  and he thought that he could see Jaejoong’s soul in them: how much Jaejoong cared and loved for everybody, how he used them to study and write, how he was now running them over Yunho’s own hands, like it was the most natural thing in the world.  
   
Yunho wanted to cry.  
   
The rice maker make a loud noise and Jaejoong groaned.  
   
“I’ll get it,” Yunho murmured, “I’ll call you if it’s done.”  He stood and then suddenly feeling quite brave said, “Come on Soo Ae, you can help.  You can tell me about all the things Changmin does that he doesn’t want other people knowing about.”  
   
Yunho was smiling but he knew the insinuation would poke at Soo Ae’s mind.  
   
“You will stay seated,” Changmin said firmly.  
   
“It’s nice that someone can tell that I am doing fine,” Soo Ae replied, “I”ll help.”  
   
“I have doctor friends,” Yunho replied easily, “You learn things if you hang around them too long.”  Yunho watched, very satisfied with himself as Soo Ae only just managed to keep her face straight.  
   
“You just don’t want your secrets spilled,” Yoochun teased a spluttering Changmin, “Don’t hold back Soo Ae, Yunho will make good use of them.”  
   
Soo Ae slipped away from Changmin as he reached over to smack his hyung, narrowly missing Ha-Neul who was still held tightly in Yoochun’s arms.  
   
“Changmin!”  Jaejoong admonished.  
   
“Soo Ae come back down and rest,” Changmin spoke over Jaejoong.  
   
“Be back in a minute, Changmin.  Play nicely with the other kids.”  
   
Yunho heard Junsu laughing hysterically as he walked into the kitchen, Soo Ae trailing behind him nervously.  
   
Yunho didn’t say anything at first, checking the rice (which was obviously done, the cooker wouldn’t have beeped otherwise,) before turning to face her.  
   
She looked like a child who had been called into her father’s study after a particularly nasty behavioral failure.  Yunho thought cheating definitely fell under that definition.  
   
“So,” he said softly, so no one could overhear, “does either of them know that you’re two-timing?”  
   
“Please don’t say anything.”  
   
Soo Ae’s voice was very quiet, almost broken and Yunho felt sorry for her...but only for about two seconds.  
   
“Tell my why.  Why shouldn’t I call Kibum and tell him to come over right now?”  
   
She looked at him, horrified.  
   
“Why shouldn’t I march you right back to Changmin and insist that you tell him what you’ve been hiding, what you’ve been doing behind his back for a whole damn month.”  
   
“I...I’ve been trying to tell him.”  
   
“Was that supposed to reassure me?” Yunho hissed.  
   
“You can’t say anything, please Yunho-ssi.”  
   
“Do you even realize what you’re doing?  The hearts that you’re playing with?  Changmin <i> _loves </i>_ you Soo Ae, he would do anything for you.  You’re everything to him.”  
   
“I know.”   
   
Yunho could tell that she was trying to hold back her tears.  
   
“Then why the fuck are you doing it?”  When Soo Ae didn’t respond, he continued, “Do you realize how stuck I am right now?  Jaejoong loves Changmin like a brother.  They’re closer than any two people I’ve ever met, not counting their relationships with Junsu and Yoochun.  You are going to tear Changmin in two which mean all four of them are going to swirl down into a pit of despair because they all think that you’re perfect for him.  Hell, I thought you were perfect for him and I hadn’t even met you!”  
   
“I...”  
   
“Soo Ae, the longer you wait, the worse it’ll be for everyone.”  
   
She nodded, now staring at the floor.  
   
“If you don’t tell him...<i>both</i> of them,” Yunho amended, “by Friday, I will.”  
   
“Yunho-ssi!”  Soo Ae’s voice was raised slightly in alarm and she clapped a hand over her mouth, hoping Ha-Neul’s bossy tones had covered the outburst.  
   
“Soo Ae,” Yunho whispered, “You cannot do this to them, you just can’t.  I will not let you hurt my friends like this.”  
   
“Yunho,” Jaejoong’s gentle tones floated towards them, “is the rice done?”  
   
“Yeah.  Want me to add your meat and veggies?”  
   
There was a thump and Jaejoong appeared looking frantic.  “Don’t you dare touch my food, Jung Yunho. Step away from the stove.”  
   
Yunho smiled, doing as he was told, and then looked back to Soo Ae who had composed her features.  <i>Friday</i> he mouthed and without waiting for a response, turned around and began to nuzzle and tease Jaejoong who fussed.  
   
Yunho hoped Soo Ae said something.  He did not want to tell Changmin.  Yunho didn’t want to deal with any of it, really, but somehow he knew he’d be in the middle, even if it was only to hold Jaejoong when it was all discovered.  
   
   
Yunho was not impressed with the movie they had seen.  He realized that he was being ridiculously biased when he found himself unable to explain why the girl cheating on his boyfriend in the film had ruined the entire thing, even if it had only been about characters who weren’t even given names.  
   
“Was that the _only_  thing you noticed, Yunho?”  Jaejoong questioned, and Yunho knew Jaejoong was teasing so the professor smiled, trying to keep his tone light.  
   
“Of course not, it just bothered me, that’s all.”  
   
“It was like...five minutes of the whole film.  I’m not down playing that it’s a terrible thing, but it really wasn’t that important in the grand scheme of the character’s lives.”  
   
_It felt like it though._ “I know,”  Yunho said, and then as an afterthought, “I noticed you.”  
   
Jaejoong laughed and then narrowed his eyes, “Yunho, this is the way to your apartment.”  
   
“It’s only nine, Jaejoong, just come back for a little while.  Please?  The kids are all sleeping anyway, and I don’t think you want to walk in on Yoochun and Junsu just yet.”  
   
Yunho knew Jaejoong wasn’t going to make a fuss and he focused on the road as Jaejoong’s head rested on his shoulder. “If they’re doing anything I wouldn’t want to walk in on when the kids are in the house, I will kill them.”  
   
Yunho chuckled and when he had stopped at a red light right before his apartment building, brushing lips over the crown of the head on his shoulder.  
   
“Physical contact, as nice and as welcome as it is, will not deter me from worrying.”  
   
“You worry too much.”   
   
Jaejoong mumbled something that sounded like a jumble of sarcastic Korean and Yunho just patted Jaejoong’s thigh, pulling into his designated parking space.  
   
As soon as they were in the apartment, Jaejoong made a beeline for the couch, curling himself up against a side and pulling all the pillows towards him.  
   
“Tea?” Yunho walked into the kitchen to make it before Jaejoong even responded.  When he came back out with two steaming mugs, Jaejoong was covered in cushions and knitted blankets. Yunho was afraid the furniture would suck him into another dimension made of fluffiness.  
   
“You know,” Yunho murmured, setting the tea down on the coffee table, “You have me to cuddle with, you don’t need all these pillows.”  
   
Jaejoong made a noise in the back of his throat that had Yunho wetting his lips.  “None of those noises, not unless you want the tea to get cold.”  
   
A muffled giggle wormed it’s way out of the pillows.  Yunho pushed them away delicately and felt his heart stop as he caught sight of a half-awake vision blushing beautifully against the dark blue fabric of his couch.  “Okay,” he breathed quietly, stroking Jaejoong cheek, “no tea.”  
   
“I wanted the tea, though...” Jaejoong pouted against a pillow and Yunho’s thoughts scattered, completely powerless to boyfriend’s innocent wile.  At least, he thought it it was innocent.  It was entirely possible that Jaejoong knew exactly how he looked.  
   
“Why can’t I ever think properly around you?”  
   
“Take that feeling and try to sit through your lectures and retain information without getting distracted,” Jaejoong replied sweetly.  
   
“I don’t know how you did it,” Yunho acknowledged.  
   
“Worth a little extra credit don’t you think?”  
   
He laughed.  “Maybe. I’ll consider it.”  
   
Jaejoong sat up, reaching for the tea that was now back in Yunho’s hand and the professor thanked his landlord for leaving this spectacularly spongy couch that allowed Jaejoong to snuggle up beside him even though they were basically the same size.  
   
“I love this couch,” Jaejoong muttered, “Don’t ever move or get rid of it.  Ever.  Good tea.”  
   
“Don’t start rambling, my brain is incapable of piecing together your insane speech.”  
   
“I’m not rambling,” Jaejoong took another careful sip, “I love your couch and this is good tea.  No rambling.”  
   
“Whatever.”  
   
They fell into a comfortable silence, nursing their drinks, until Yunho found it in him to murmur, “What was up with you today?”  
   
Jaejoong placed his empty cup back on the coffee table before resting his head on Yunho’s lap.  
   
“So this is why we’re here?  You lure me in with cushions and tea and cuddling so that you can psychologize me?”  
   
“Maybe.  Though all those things are wonderful on their own.”  
   
Jaejoong hummed disbelievingly.  
   
“You were pretty ragged around the edges.”  
   
Jaejoong didn’t say anything and Yunho stroked the adorable mess of dark hair on his lap.  
   
“Are three classes too much for you, Jae?  I know I only originally told you two...”  
   
“Don’t,” Jaejoong turned around and Yunho’s stomach twisted as he saw the desperation in the beautiful large eyes looking upwards, “The classes keep me sane.  I’d go crazy if I didn’t have them, it’s like my away time from the kids.”  
“You seemed like such a kids person.”  
   
“I am.  But...when it isn’t your kids it can frustrating, you know?  My sister brought them up a certain way and it isn’t necessarily how I’d want to bring up kids.”  
   
“Seungyon,” Yunho supplied, grinning.  
   
“Case in point.  He’s had to deal with a lot and grow up really fast because of his mother.  I try to treat him like the ten year old his is, but it doesn’t really ever go over well so I talk to him like he’s actually sixteen and for some reason we get along better.”  
   
Jaejoong sat back up and squished himself down further so his head could rest easily on Yunho’s shoulder.  “I complain but I do love them.”  
   
“I can tell.”  
   
Silence fell again and Yunho wrapped Jaejoong’s hands (his soul, Yunho remind himself) in his own and said, “I’m always right here, whenever you need to get away.”  
   
“I know.”  Jaejoong squeezed back.  
   
Yunho’s thoughts wandered aimlessly as hands caressed hands and he found himself thinking about Soo Ae.  
   
He didn’t really understand the girl at all.  Changmin loved her, more completely and fully than Yunho had seen anyone love before and he couldn’t fathom why Soo Ae would want to throw that away.  
   
He couldn’t imagine wanting more than Jaejoong.  Jaejoong clicked with him, like an extra appendage that sometimes had a mind of it’s own.  It hurt a little to think that he might have to sit Changmin down and explain everything.  
   
It’s not like Yunho wanted to butt into their business, but there was no way he could just sit back and watch as two of his friends were hurt.    
   
He wanted Soo Ae to come clean with Min, as well as Kibum.  What Yunho wasn’t sure of was the consequence of all of it.  He didn’t know what Kibum would do and he didn’t know what Changmin would do, besides turn to Jaejoong and wallow in despair (most likely, anyway.)  
   
The unknown of it all scared him.  
   
“Yunho,” Jaejoong’s gentle voice broke into his thoughts and Yunho realized that Jaejoong was wiping away tears, an unspoken question in his eyes.  
   
“I...I can’t...”  Yunho breathed a silent sigh of relief as Jaejoong nodded and pulled him close.  
   
“I know.”  
   
“It isn’t...it’s not my story, I can’t share it,” Yunho whispered, clutching desperately onto the frame that held him steady.  
   
“It’s fine,” Jaejoong cooed and Yunho found the tone of voice strangely calming, “What you just said, about you being here...I’m here too.”  
   
Yunho let out a choked sob, unable to hold back the anger which had turned into sorrow.    
   
“I’ll always be right here.”


	8. Revelation

Yunho’s Civil Procedure class that Yoochun was in only met once a week Wednesday afternoons.  Yoochun usually stayed after to talk about American law and Harvard until Jaejoong called to demand that Yoochun come back to help so the TA could actually get some work done.   
    
Today was no different.     
    
“Yunho, send Yoochun back.  He was supposed to be here an hour ago.”   
    
“He’s leaving right now, Joongie, he was helping me clean.”   
    
“I’ll believe that when I see it.  He’s worse than you.”   
    
“Hey.  He has you on speaker phone.  I heard that.”   
    
“Great.  Maybe it’ll motivate you to clean my sister’s guest room.  She’ll freak when she comes back.”   
    
“Whatever, I’ll be there soon.”   
    
“Fine.  Yunho, if I die because he didn’t come back quick enough, please kill him on my behalf.”   
    
Yunho chuckled. “Call me tonight.”   
    
“Okay, see you tomor- Seungyon, those had better not be shoes on your fe-”   
    
Yoochun laughed and slung his bag on his shoulder as the line went dead, “Tough luck.  You only just started dating and there are kids in the way.”   
    
“I just said the same thing to him the other day,” Yunho replied wryly.  “You better hurry.”   
    
“Yunho!”  The professor looked up and tried to keep his face straight as he saw Kibum striding up the hallway practically dragging Soo Ae behind him.   
    
_Shit._    
    
“You should go,” Yunho said again, quietly, even though he knew there was no way Yoochun wouldn’t see Soo Ae...Soo Ae’s hand in Kibum’s... _Shit, shit, shit._    
    
“What’s wrong?” Yoochun asked.   
    
“Yunho!”   
    
The law professor sighed, “Just...don’t freak out too loud, okay?”   
    
“What?”   
    
“Yunho, honestly....oh, sorry, you’re with a student.”  Kibum stopped in the doorway.   
    
Yunho watched as Yoochun stared at Soo Ae who was trying to wriggle out of Kibum’s hold and getting paler by the minute.   
    
“What do you want?”  Yunho asked, wondering when Yoochun was going to put two and two together.   
    
“We’re going out for dinner, want to come?  Ask your...um...” Kibum threw a look at Yoochun, obviously thinking he knew nothing of Jaejoong.  “Your friend.”   
    
“Jaejoong,” Yunho supplied, carefully noting Yoochun’s eyes as they slid to Soo Ae’s hand in Kibum’s, “It’s fine, Yoochun knows.”   
    
“Really?”  Kibum pulled Soo Ae further into Yunho’s office, “I’m Kibum, I teach veterinarian medicine here.”   
    
Yunho crossed his arms and watched.   
    
“S-Soo Ae?  What...what is this?”   
    
“You know each other?” Kibum asked.   
    
Yoochun frowned slightly, his eyes resting on the conjoined hands once more, “I thought I knew her.”   
    
“Sorry, what?” Kibum asked again and Yunho could tell he was slightly annoyed.   
    
“Can you give us a minute, please?  Or two?  Or maybe longer?”   
    
Kibum stared from Yoochun to Soo Ae and then back again.   
    
“What the hell is going on?”   
    
“Kibum,” Yunho said softly, “They need some time.”   
    
“Come again?”   
    
“Get out of my office, they need to talk.”   
    
“Fine, but someone had better explain to me later.  Preferably before I storm back up here to find out why my girlfriend needs to talk to someone privately without me.”   
    
Soo Ae winced as the word girlfriend came out of Kibum’s mouth.  All confusion left Yoochun’s face and was replaced with anger.  “Oh, trust me, there will be _lots_  of explaining.   
    
Kibum’s eyebrows further knitted together but after pursing his lips, he walked out.   
    
“Soo Ae, what the fuck?”   
    
“Sit,” Yunho pointed Yoochun towards the large desk chair, “Yoochun, go and sit, now.  You too,” he nodded at Soo Ae who sat in front of the desk, her head hanging, refusing to look at Yoochun.   
    
“Soo Ae you had better have fucking good explanation because it fucking looks like you’re fucking someone other than Changmin.”   
    
Soo Ae said nothing and Yunho pulled his office key off of his key ring and placed it in front of Yoochun.  “I’m going to go help Jaejoong.  When you are done discussing this _civilly_ you will lock my office up and walk Soo Ae down to Kibum.  What you do after that is your decision.  Did you hear what I said?”   
    
Yoochun was staring Soo Ae down so intensely Yunho wondered if leaving them alone was maybe not such a bright idea on his part.     
    
“Perfectly,” Yoochun bit through teeth.   
    
Yunho walked out the door.   
    
    
Yoochun waited until he heard the firm shut and took a few breaths to calm himself.  Yelling, while making him feel better, would most likely attract unwanted attention, and they didn’t need that.   
    
“Explain,” he said.   
    
“Please don’t say anything,” Soo Ae whispered.   
    
“Why the fuck not?”  Yoochun decided that swearing was going to have to relieve his frustration since he couldn’t make loud noises.  “You think I’m gonna just sit idly by knowing that my friend’s girlfriend it getting fucked into a mattress by another guy?”   
    
“I...it was just a few dates.”   
    
“You know, that doesn’t really matter to me.  Cheating is cheating.  Do you realize what this is going to do to Changmin?  You obviously have no idea how much he loves you.”   
    
“No, I do know.”   
    
“Then why the hell are you dating someone else, Soo Ae?”   
    
“Because I don’t love him back like that.”   
    
Yoochun managed a short laugh, “Oh, well, that’s a great excuse.  Usually you tell someone when you don’t love them.  Why cheat, Soo Ae?  Why...why break his heart?”   
    
Yoochun felt his anger slip as he began to fully realize the emotional state that Changmin would be in.   
    
“I didn’t...I didn’t want things to turn out this way, I was going to tell him when I was sick.”   
    
“But instead you fucked him.  Awesome.  The complete opposite message.”   
    
“I...I don’t deny my brain is screwed up.”   
    
“You need a fucking shrink.”   
    
“I’ve started to see one.”   
    
Yoochun paused for a moment and then stood up and sat on the desk in front of Soo Ae.  “Alright,” he whispered, “Look, I’m pissed beyond belief right now, but I’ve only known Changmin for a semester.  No matter what I think or do, it isn’t going to be one tenth as bad as what Junsu is going to do, and you may want to go back to Japan for awhile once Jaejoong hears.”   
    
Soo Ae sniffed and Yoochun handed her a tissue, thankful that they were visible on the overflowing desk.     
    
“I will temporarily hold back my utter contempt so that you can explain everything to me and so that I don’t hit you.  I don’t do that sort of thing, no matter how pissed I am.”   
    
“Thanks,” Soo Ae said in a small voice.   
    
“Talk.”   
    
Yoochun closed his eyes and pretended that it wasn’t Soo Ae sitting in front of him, confessing an affair concerning one of the best friends he’d ever had in his entire life.   
    
“I...I did love Changmin like that.  For years.  I guess this feeling just sort of crept up on me.  The letters we wrote became just one more homework assignment to do before bed, I had to start thinking about things I could tell him when we talked, found myself not really wanting to have to call him because I’d rather read my book instead.”   
    
Yoochun opened his eyes back up and watched Soo Ae fiddle with a fray on her jeans.   
    
“Yoochun, I didn’t know what to do.  I hate change, I hate not being secure.  I can’t...the thought of being on my own after four years scared the shit out of me.  I...I don’t know what to do because I honestly don’t know anything else.  I don’t remember anything else.  I just...I’ve been with him for so long, I didn’t know....I _don’t_ know how to tell him I don’t love him like that anymore.  Kibum was...me trying to convince myself that I still loved him, that no one could love me like Min-ah could but...that sort of back fired.”   
    
“Because you found that you liked Kibum,” Yoochun tried to be kind.   
    
Soo Ae nodded, “I know I handled it wrong.  I realize that.  I should have just told Minnie that I was tired. I tried to tell him that I didn’t deserve him...I tried to tell him so many times but I couldn’t.  Yunho...Yunho said if I didn’t by Friday he was going to.”   
    
Yoochun nodded, “Yunho’s smart like that.  It really should be you telling Changmin that you’ve fallen out of love with him.”   
    
“I know that,” Soo Ae whispered, tears falling again.   
    
“What about Kibum?”  Yoochun asked.   
    
“He’s...nice.  I like him, I don’t love him, not the way I loved Changmin.  I used him to bury my other problems and that was unfair.”   
    
“It’s good that you’re seeing a psychologist.”   
    
“I made an appointment after Yunho yelled at me.  I’m glad he did, I needed a wake up call.  I was just sort of blocking out everything, living two lives and trying to balance everything, trying to make sense of it all...so...I guess it’s good that it’s out.”   
    
Yoochun handed her another tissue.  “I still don’t really understand why you did it, and I’m still very angry with you, but I can at least tell you’re upset and I think you regret it.  And,” he added as he stood and stretched, “I agree with Yunho, you have two days until my love for Changmin overtakes the importance of you telling him.  However, I think you’ll have to tell Kibum tonight.”   
    
Soo Ae nodded, blowing her nose in a third tissue.   
    
“Consider it practice.  Telling Changmin is going to be ten times worse.”   
    
“I know.”   
    
\--  
    
“I’m not sure Jaejoong will like that spice in the cupcake frosting, Ha-Neul.”   
    
“But Jaejae likes spicy!”   
    
“Only on some things, sweetie, not everything.”   
    
Ha-Neul pouted and Yunho sighed.  “How about you put in some food coloring?  Wouldn’t pink be nice?”   
    
Her face lit up and she put the death sauce down.  He swiped it from the counter when she wasn’t looking and found a high shelf to put it on, making a mental note to tell Jaejoong so he could find it later.   
    
“So,” a voice purred from behind him, “Do you want to tell me why you’re here and not Yoochun?”   
    
“You sound upset,” Yunho turned as Jaejoong wrapped his arms around the professor, “were you looking forward to yelling at him?”   
    
“A little.”   
    
“He stayed to talk to a student.  It was personal and I thought it might be better if he talked to her rather than me.”   
    
“The story that you were agonizing over a few days ago?”   
    
“Yes.”  Yunho was prepared for the questioning pout that appeared on Jaejoong’s mouth, kissing it away gently, “Don’t Jae, if you had been there, you would be talking to her.”  _Or killing her, I’m not exactly sure which._   
    
Jaejoong hummed, still slightly disappointed, but he seemed content as he slipped over to Ha-Neul who had her arms crossed, foot tapping impatiently, waiting for someone to fetch her the red food dye.   
    
Yunho slid the coloring into Jaejoong’s hand and just observed as Jaejoong helped Ha-Neul to mix it into the frosting he had made.  Yunho was still watching them try to spread it on the now cooled cupcakes when Yoochun walked in looking angry and haggard.   
    
Jaejoong’s pout returned slightly when Yoochun beckoned to the professor.  Yunho hugged Jaejoong from behind briefly, whispering love and comforts until he smiled, pushing Yunho towards the living room, blushing furiously.   
    
Yunho found Yoochun on the couch, his head in his hands as he tried to hold the tears inside.  “How...how did you look Minnie in the eye that night?  How did you not burst into tears?”   
    
“I was too angry at first,” Yunho admitted, letting his hand drop onto Yoochun’s shoulder.   
    
“She said you gave her until Friday.”   
    
“I did.”   
    
A hand swiped at cheeks roughly, “I don’t think I’ll be able to see Changmin for the next two days.”   
    
“Probably a good idea,” Yunho said quietly, “and when the time comes, you hold Junsu and I’ll try to hide Jaejoong’s knives.”   
    
“Just the knives?  Joongie’s very creative, you’ll probably have to lock him up.”   
    
The two shared a quiet chuckle and Yoochun stood back up. “I don’t really know if I can look at Jaejoong either.  Watching the kids will keep my mind off of it tonight, so you should go out.  Make him pack a bag and stay at your place.”   
    
“Really?”   
    
“Yeah.  I really need a distraction that isn’t someone who could theoretically pull the story out of me.”   
    
“You mean Junsu.”   
    
Yoochun took another shaky breath while nodding, “Exactly.”   
    
Yunho didn’t need to be told twice and he turned around, practically grinning as he wrapped an arm around Jaejoong. “Ha-Neul, Yoochun is going to help you finish those.”   
    
“Where is Jaejae going?”   
    
“He’s coming with me.”   
    
“I am?”   
    
“You’re having a sleepover?”    
    
There was a twinge of jealousy in Ha-Neul’s question and Yunho patted her head.  “You’ll have fun with Yoochun.”  Yunho covered Jaejoong’s ears and said conspiratorially, “And if you ask politely, he might let you stay up a little bit later.”   
    
Sufficiently bribed out of throwing a tantrum, Ha-Neul turned victoriously back to the cupcake she was drowning in pink frosting and sprinkles.  Yunho could almost see the plans whirling around in her head.   
    
“Yunho,” Jaejoong murmured.   
    
“Go pack a bag.”   
    
“Seriously?”   
    
“Yes.  Quick, before Ha-Neul finds a flaw in my reasoning.” 

\--  

One short car ride and a very sugary cupcake later, Jaejoong was curled up in Yunho’s bed, pressed against his side and wondering what had possessed Yoochun to offer what he did.   
    
“You had better not be worrying about the kids, Kim Jaejoong.”   
    
“I’m not.”   
    
The pout that Jaejoong’s mouth formed was kissed gently.   
    
“You’re worrying about something.  What is it?”   
    
The silken dark hair was buried further into Yunho’s shoulder and Jaejoong fought to keep his irritation down.  “Yoochun wouldn’t look at me.”   
    
“What?”   
    
“After you talked.  He wouldn’t look me in the eye, not even as we were leaving.”   
    
“Jae...”   
    
“Will I cry?”  Jaejoong whispered.   
    
“Come again?”   
    
“Will I cry when I find out about whatever this is?  Obviously I know the person or you both would have said something and Yoochun wouldn’t have avoided me.  Don’t deny it.”   
    
Yunho began to pet Jaejoong’s hair, a whispered yes fluttering the hair behind a perfect ear.   
    
The younger let out a sigh and pushed away, lying on his back, suddenly finding the ceiling extraordinarily interesting.   
    
“I guess it’s good that you heard this whatever it is before me.”   
    
There was a questioning hum in his ear and he felt a hand slide across his stomach to pull him closer.  “Well, since you’ve already been upset, you can expend all energy offering your shoulder to me.   
    
Jaejoong wasn’t sure if it was the way Yunho’s chuckle resounded in his ear or the way his arm tightened or anything really, because the next thing he knew were Yunho’s lips.   
    
It reminded Jaejoong of their first kiss _-bordering slightly on passionate-_ but instead of retreating into awkward confessions, it was simply passionate, no borders in sight.   
    
_Will I ever be able to think when he does this?  He still makes me melt, still makes my body feel like it has no breath, my heart like it has no rhythm._   
    
“Why do you do this to me?”   
    
It took Jaejoong a moment to realize that he hadn’t been the one to ask this, Yunho had.   
    
“I was just asking myself the same thing.”  _How am I talking?  Did that come out as a logical sentence?  I don’t even know..._    
    
Jaejoong didn’t know when he had lost his shirt (wait, did he have anything on?)  It felt like fire was running all over him and he thought that if this is what it felt like to burn alive for something or someone he would gladly do it, happily face anything at all if it meant that he could feel this alive.   
    
“Are you even real?” He heard himself whisper, lips traveling down his neck, hands everywhere, a mess of skin and saliva and salt.   
    
_Have you always been this real?  Have you always been this near?  Have I always been this loved?_   
    
“I’ve never been anything but real,” a whispered promise into hair, sweaty, breathy, beautiful, “I will never be anything else.”   
    
_Is this moment real?  No classes, no students, no children...nothing but us...you, me, our skin, our kisses, our moans...how did I live before this?_   
    
Jaejoong could not suppress a gasp as Yunho ground him into the mattress, all stuttered breathing and frenzied kisses.   
    
Every movement, every sound, every feeling, Jaejoong committed it all to memory as if he would never experience it again.  He didn’t ever want to forget, he couldn’t ever forget.  He had dreamt of this so many times, hoped for it, prayed for it even, and the love he felt was beyond anything he could have imagined, beyond everything that actually was.  That thought, that one sensation, ripped through him like a hurricane, leaving him gasping for air and clutching onto Yunho like he was the one, last, tangible thing in the world.  And maybe, Jaejoong thought, before he lost his ability to think, just maybe Yunho was.   
    
    
Yunho woke groggily to Jaejoong’s phone chirping from somewhere on the floor.  He tried to move but found that his torso was held down by Jaejoong’s body.   Yunho decided to go back to sleep and wrapped his arms more snugly around his boyfriend.   
    
After the second cycle of ringing, Jaejoong stirred and Yunho glanced at the clock, surprised to find that they had only been asleep for a little over an hour.   
    
“If that is Yoochun calling, I’m going to find some to be determined terrible thing to do to him.”   
    
Yunho kissed the crown of Jaejoong’s head and maneuvered him onto the extra pillows pilfered from the couch.     
    
“Murder,” Jaejoong muttered, “torture, no sex with Junsu for a month...something unbearable.”   
    
Yunho chuckled as he began to sift through their discarded clothes until he found Jaejoong’s pants and his cellphone.  Yunho paled as he went through the caller ID.   
    
“Joongie...”   
    
“Hmm?”   
    
“It’s Minnie, he called like five times.”   
    
Jaejoong looked up curiously.   
    
“Call him back.”  Yunho handed the phone over and Jaejoong took it, facial expression curious.   
    
As if on cue, the phone lit up and began to sing again.   
    
Yunho crawled back into bed and wrapped his arms around Jaejoong, face buried in shoulder blades, trying not to give away any emotion.   
    
“Minnie?”   
    
There was perhaps a minute of garbled sounds that Yunho couldn’t really decipher.   
    
“Changmin, calm down, what’s wrong?”   
    
_Sunshine_ , Yunho thought, _strawberry picking in the summer and lemonade, that’s what Jaejoong smells like._    
    
“Wait...Soo Ae...what?”   
    
And in the moment that Jaejoong turned around, Yunho knew Jaejoong knew.   
    
“Oh,  _Min_. Where are you?  I’m going to come and get you.  Tell me where you are.”   
    
Yunho dressed quicker than Jaejoong and sat on the bed watching his lover cradle the phone as he attempted to dress, whispering words of love, trying to extract Changmin’s whereabouts from the distraught babble of words.   
    
“Don’t do anything stupid, you here me Shim Changmin?  You stay right there and do not move until I arrive.”  There was a pause before Jaejoong whispered softly, “I love you,” and the phone was slid back into a pocket.   
    
A single tear had managed to escape Jaejoong’s control and Yunho stood to wipe it away.  “Let me go get him.  You shouldn’t be driving right now.”   
    
“I have to go to him,” Jaejoong whispered, another tear trailing down his face, “I have to, Yunho.”   
    
Yunho kissed the tear away.  “No, you don’t.  I have already been through this, remember?  Wait here, I will go and get him.  Where is he?”   
    
“The park...the one we went to before...in front of the movie theater.”   
    
“Make yourself tea,” Yunho pressed a kiss, “Call him back and talk to him until we arrive.”   
    
“Okay.”   
    
Yunho crushed Jaejoong to him, hardly able to bear the sight of the tears cracking through an endeavored composure.   
    
“I love you.”  Yunho whispered, “Okay?  It’ll be fine.”   
    
Their foreheads rested against one another, Yunho wiping away tears of another sort that had started to mingle with Jaejoong’s tears of sadness.  “I love you so much; I’ll be back as fast as I can.”   
    
“Okay.”   
    
Yunho kissed Jaejoong again, grabbed his keys, and rushed out the door, vaguely hearing Jaejoong already talking to Changmin as the professor bolted towards his car.   
    
_Please_ , Yunho begged no one in particular, _please let everything work out okay.  Because I cannot bear to see any of them hurt like this.  I just can’t._


	9. Warmth of Your Arms

There were several things in the world that Changmin knew could make anyone feel better.  One, was a cup of warm liquid, in his case, tea evoking the four kinds of Korean Buddhist thought: peacefulness, respectfulness, purity, and quietness.  He needed all four at the moment.  
   
Two, was Jaejoong.  There was nothing like being held in a pair of willing arms and Changmin was sure that there was no other warmth quite like Jaejoong’s in all the world.  When Jaejoong held you - really held you - it was like his whole heart wrapped around your body and for awhile you could forget that you were in pain.  
   
Three was Jaejoong’s voice.  He was best at lullabies, his soft crooning soothing shortened breath and loud hiccups from too many tears.  Changmin himself hadn’t heard Jaejoong sing anything other than lullabies and the younger greatly suspected that Jaejoong only knew so many of them because of the children.  They didn’t know how lucky they were.  
   
Changmin only recently discovered number four.  Hands down, this position belonged to Yunho.  Mostly, Changmin reasoned (though he was unsure as to how he was able to think rationally at the moment,) because the professor was keeping Jaejoong from freaking out and Changmin didn’t want that just yet, he really just wanted to be held and allowed to cry his heart out...which he was.  Therefore, Yunho was wonderful world comfort number four.  
   
If he was going to be honest with himself, though, none of these could quite fill the aching hole in his heart.    
   
“I like this couch,” Changmin murmured into Jaejoong’s shirt, “It’s squishy.”  
   
“Isn’t it?”  
   
Changmin felt hands gently pull hair away from his face and he tried not to think about how other, certain hands had felt doing the same thing.  
   
“Sing more,” Changmin poked gently at Jaejoong’s side making him giggle softly.  
   
“If I sing, you won’t talk,” Jaejoong spoke softly, gently, when he had managed to hold Changmin’s finger hostage.  
   
“I don’t want to talk right now,” Changmin tucked himself closer to the warmth holding him, hiding his face from his friend’s eyes, “I just want to be held and sung to...please.”  
   
“Okay.”  
   
   
Yunho couldn’t help but notice the tears.  They came periodically as Jaejoong began to sing for a second time, song after song, and Yunho knew that Jaejoong would only stop singing when he either lost his voice or Changmin fell asleep, whichever came first.  
   
Changmin’s silence worried the professor, the only sign of his student’s distress the occasional bouts of tears that shook his shoulders.  If Changmin didn’t talk to Jaejoong soon - talk to _anybody_ \- soon about Soo Ae, Yunho was going to call his friend in the psychology department to get an idea of possible messy outcomes and what to do to get them to (hopefully) heal.  
   
Yunho fell asleep while supporting Jaejoong (and therefore Chagmin’s) weight, lulled to sleep by Jaejoong’s voice.  
   
Yunho dreamt of tears falling from the sun and diamonds tumbling from the mouths of angels as they sang, their songs sad and filled with remorse.  
   
When he woke, the sun was beginning to peek through curtains, Changmin was still curled into Jaejoong’s lap, hair flopped untidily, cheeks stained from salty tears that were cried whilst in dreamland.  Jaejoong was awake, his own wet pearls spilling over, hand still stroking whatever parts of Changmin were visible.  
   
“Did you sleep at all?” Yunho asked quietly, gently touching the bags under Jaejoong’s eyes.    
   
“I...I didn’t want him to wake up and not have anyone there to hold him when he remembered.”  
   
Yunho swallowed back a lump that he felt the formation of and wrapped an arm around his boyfriend.  “I’m awake now, so you can fall asleep.”  
   
“Will you sing to him if I’m still asleep?”  
   
“I will.  Get some rest, Jaejoong-ah, please.  You need to sleep...for him.”  
   
Jaejoong nodded, his head falling onto Yunho’s shoulder.  Yunho took the hand that was still stroking Changmin and squeezed it tight.  There was a slight returning pressure before Jaejoong fell asleep and Yunho watched over them both as sunlight crept into the room.  
   
   
When Jaejoong woke, he panicked slightly because Changmin wasn’t there.  The alarm subsided when he heard Yunho’s gentle voice in the kitchen and Jaejoong walked in to find Changmin stirring a cup of tea absentmindedly.  
   
“Good morning,” Jaejoong said carefully, laying a  hand on Changmin’s back.  
   
“It’s afternoon, actually,” Yunho said and Jaejoong saw Changmin wince at the cheerful tone, “you’ve been sleeping for awhile.”  
   
Jaejoong swore inside his head, but said nothing out loud, choosing instead to sit beside Changmin at the table.  “Did you sleep okay?”  
   
“Considering.” Changmin’s voice was rough and Jaejoong suspected that he had screamed into a pillow at some point.  
   
“Have you eaten anything?” Jaejoong asked.  
   
“I’m not really hungry.”  
   
“You’re always hungry, Minnie-ah, now is not a good time to lose that appetite.”  
   
“Fine.  I don’t _want_ to eat anything right now.”  
   
“Why not?”  
   
Changmin pushed his tea away roughly and let his face fall into his arms.  “Because breakfast reminds me of her.  Lunch...dinner...food in general.  Everything.  This stupid tea is her favorite, she loved the color green,” tears began escaping Changmin’s eyes again as he gestured to the green tea cup, “she...I can’t...I don’t want to remember.”  
   
Jaejoong grasped Changmin’s hands and was vaguely aware of Yunho walking over and sitting on Changmin’s other side.  
   
The youngest stared Jaejoong down and he felt himself lose it as Changmin whispered, “Hyung, tell me this isn’t real.  Please tell me that this isn’t real.”  
   
   
   
Yoochun was warm when he welcomed Changmin into Jaejoong’s apartment.  Changmin thought that he smelled like home: cookies, clean clothes, and children.  It was somehow a very comforting mix.  
   
“What do you need, Minnie-ah?”  Yoochun whispered.  
   
“Just this.”  
   
   
   
Changmin heard the murmuring voices from the kitchen but he ignored them, choosing instead to attempt to eat the strawberries forced upon him.  He tried not to think of how Soo Ae would eat them, tried not to think of all the things the sight of her eating a strawberry would make him want to do.  
   
He sighed.  It was hopeless.  
   
“Minnnniiiiiieeeee!”  
   
Changmin attempted to school his heart but the sight of Junsu rushing into the room, hair in disarray, coat only half off, face streaked with tears made his heart break all over again.  Junsu and Soo Ae had been so close.  
   
The tears began to fall again and Junsu launched himself onto Changmin’s prone body on the couch and for some unknown reason, Changmin found himself apologizing, blabbering about things as he tried to not remember them.  “I’m sorry...no more SooHugs, Junsu, n-no more...watching soccer matches with her or...or scheming...or...arguments over whether Su or Soo is better...n...no...”  
   
“You are the stupidest Changmin ever, you know that?  I don’t give a shit about any of those things, or her.  You are my friend, Minnie-ah, and I only care that you are alright.”  
   
Changmin found himself sobbing again, barely managing to whisper, “I...I’m not.”  He didn’t know why he said it.  
   
“I know.”  
   
And Changmin let himself be angry and upset again now that he found another pair of arms to hold onto.  
   
   
   
When he opened his eyes, Ha-Neul and Sun Hea were standing beside the couch, very serious expressions on their faces.  
   
“Hello,” he managed to smile...at least he thought it was a smile, he couldn’t be too sure.  
   
Sun Hea trundled closer, almost tripping over the blanket she was clutching too, and pressed her face onto his arm, kissing Changmin like Jaejoong kissed her when she was hurt.  “All better,” she said, and Changmin felt tears pricking his eyes again.  
   
Ha-Neul handed Changmin a heart that someone must have cut out for her, crudely colored red with marker and crayon.  
   
“What’s this?”  
   
“JaeJae said your heart got broked, this is a new one.”  
   
Changmin pulled them onto his lap, clutching the heart, thinking he was going to treasure it forever.  “Thank you,” he breathed them in as they wrapped their little arms around him, smelling of Yoochun and Jaejoong and heaven.  
   
   
“What happened?”  
   
Changmin tried to ignore the other four sitting with him on the couch.  
   
“Min.”  He didn’t know whose hands were stroking him.  
   
“Don’t want to.”  
   
His head was in Jaejoong’s lap again, (it used to be his second favorite place to lay his head; now it was his first,) and he felt Jaejoong start to play with his hair.  
   
“Would you have preferred someone else telling you?”  
   
Changmin’s eyes snapped open to find Yunho sitting cross-legged in front of the couch.  “Wh...what?”  
   
“Were you glad that Soo Ae was the one who told you?”  
   
Changmin was silent as he slowly pieced the two phrases together in his mind before saying, “You knew?”  
   
Yunho nodded.  
   
Changmin sighed and shut his eyes, “I wouldn’t have liked anyone but her telling me.”  
   
For a good fifteen minutes, no one said anything, lost in thought, memories, and images floating thick in their air surrounding them.  
   
“Jaejoong?”  
   
“Yes?”  
   
“Am...am I just supposed to forget the past four years?”  
   
Hands gripped him, arms wrapped around him tighter,  even Yunho scooted closer.  
   
“Do you want to forget it, Changmin?”  
   
He thought about that.  “I don’t know.  I don’t...I want to stop hurting.”  
   
“That doesn’t mean forgetting,” Yunho’s quiet voice was a hum beside his ear, “Tell me something about Soo Ae that you loved.”  
   
“Her laugh.”  
   
“What else?”  
   
“Her smile.  That she cared.”  
   
“Is that it?”  
   
“Of course not.   She works hard, loves her family, has passion for everything she does...how is this helping me?”  
   
Fingers brushed at his tears.  
   
“I don’t know anything but Soo Ae.  How...how am I supposed to do this?  How?”  
   
“We’re here for you while you figure that you.  Soo Ae did love you.  You know that.  That’s what you need to remember, all those things you just said, the perky, crazy Soo Ae that stole your heart, that is okay to remember.  That’s okay to cry about losing.”  
   
Changmin choked over Yunho’s words.  
   
“Minnie-ah,” Junsu’s voice floated down into his ear, “Just...just know that we love you.  We’ll always love you.”  
   
“I know that,” Changmin fisted the bits of Jaejoong’s clothing that he was holding onto, “I know you do but...”  
   
“But she said that to you to?”  Jaejoong finished.  
   
Min nodded.  
   
“We aren’t going anywhere,” Junsu promised.  
   
“I know you lost a lot of trust in people, lost a lot of faith in them,” Changmin felt a hand caress his back, “but Min-ah, love is trust no matter who it concerns.  
   
“Minnie,” Jaejoong said, “put the trust you had in Soo Ae in us.  Let us take care of you.  Please.  We love you so much, this hurts us all.  Let us in.”  
   
Changmin broke.  “You were never out,” he whispered, knowing the sentence sounded funny, but not caring because that was what he wanted to say.  
   
And then he couldn’t think.  Emotions and unintelligible phrases spewing from his mouth as he exhaled his frustration again and again and again until his throat was raw and it hurt to draw a breath.  
   
He fell asleep still gathered in Jaejoong’s arms, being sung to this time by Yoochun, hair  stroked by Yunho, back rubbed by Junsu, and forgetting, just for a second, the pain overflowing in his heart.


	10. Chapter 10

Yoochun was bent over his text book for Civil Procedure, tongue out in concentration, when Junsu zoomed into the room and flopped down on him. Yoochun let out a quiet curse as the book fell to the floor and he found himself pinned down.  
  
"Chunnie, save me!"  
  
"What-Su, get off!"  
  
"I HAVE A STALKER."  
  
"Junsu, come on, I'm trying to study."  
  
"Chunnie, I'm serious," Arms tightened around him and Yoochun sighed. "Yoochun!"  
  
"I'm listening."  
  
"You remember Hyukkie?"  
  
"Works part time at the Children's Museum, right?"  
  
"His ex is stalking me!"  
  
 _I'd like to stalk you,_ Yoochun thought, noticing a delectable bit of skin peeking up at him from underneath Junsu shirt, but he kept his mouth shut because despite what most people thought, he _could_ control himself. "What makes you think that?"  
  
"He complained that I wasn't online a lot to talk."  
  
“You’re a college student. You work.” Yoochun refused to admit that he was frustrated with Junsu for being petty.  
  
“I know,” Junsu rolled his eyes, “I told him, so then he said, ‘Well, you’ll have to give me your phone number or screen name or e-mail.”  
  
Yoochun narrowed his eyes. “Okay, that’s a little weird.”  
  
“And I very cleverly avoided that. Then he was like, ‘Hey, you should come and play basketball with us, you look like you have the body for it.’”  
  
“He said that?” Jealousy was a strange emotion, Yoochun decided.  
  
“Yeeeees,” Junsu whined, “And so I said that I always get hurt when I play basketball.”  
  
“You do, don’t you?”  
  
“I do. And then he said, ‘nonsense, I’d love to see you there. It’s blah blah time that I didn’t pay attention to, and you should come.”  
  
“Wait. Who is this ‘us’ that he mentioned?”  
  
“Probably gang members, the kind that eat little children for breakfast, I don’t know. It’s the scariest thing ever and I want him to go away.”  
  
Yoochun sighed as the mess on his lap sniffed and he patted Junsu’s head. “It’ll be fine. I’ll just go and punch him for you or something.”  
  
Junsu giggled.  
  
“Mangle his face a bit, hypnotize him and make him dance naked in the streets.”  
  
More giggles.  
  
“There. I like you better all happy and bubbly.”  
  
“It’s temporary. When I go home and find another message online tonight from him asking me what kind of shampoo I use, I will cry.”  
  
“Well, then just stay here and we’ll log on together tomorrow. Then I’ll punch him. Where does he live?”  
  
Junsu brightened considerably. “Really? Weren’t you studying?”   
  
"Um...yes..."  
  
Junsu's eyebrows furrowed and Yoochun shifted uncomfortably under the gaze. "For Yunho's class?"  
  
"Um..."  
  
"Yoochun."  
  
"Yes."  
  
"I'll help you. Besides, I've already taken the class."  
  
"But-"  
  
"Yoochun, seriously. It's Yunho. You need to study. End of discussion."   
  
_And whose fault is it that I'm not studying right now?_ "Fine."  
  
  
  
"Seungyon! We're going to be late."  
  
"I don't want to go! I have to study!"  
  
Jaejoong tried to keep his temper under control as he walked up the stairs to Seungyon's room. "You are ten years old, you can't possibly have that much homework. Shut your light off and come downstairs right now. You are coming to your sister's dance recital and if you utter one more word of protest, you will be doing more than just setting the table every night before dinner."  
  
"But I have-"  
  
"Would you like me to list the chores that you will inherit?" Jaejoong smiled sweetly as Seungyon ground his teeth, weighing his options, before refusing to look his uncle in the eye as he put away the book he was reading and walked out of the room, grumbling.  
  
"Thank you."  
  
Jaejoong glided down the steps behind his nephew, smiling as he saw Yunho already ready to go, holding Sun Hea snugly in his arms. As soon as she caught sight of her uncle, she began to wriggle and just because he didn't want to get a headache from a possibly impending tantrum, Jaejoong accepted her into his arms as they waited for Seungyon to find his shoes.  
  
"Thanks for coming."  
  
The gentle kiss that settled on the top of Jaejoong's head made him shiver slightly.  
  
"It beats correcting papers. Where's Changmin?"  
  
"Minnie decided to go with Yoochun when he dropped Ha-Neul off at the auditorium earlier. Ready?"  
  
Seungyon had sidled up beside them, arms crossed over his chest, obviously very peeved, but he nodded.  
  
"Great. Let's go."  
  
  
  
"Nini!"   
  
The auditorium was huge and Jaejoong was immediately thankful that he hadn't volunteered to be a backstage "parent" as it were. Too many kids in too large of a space with too many parents thinking that they can do whatever they want irregardless of performances.  
  
"Nini!" Jaejoong followed Sun Hea's pointed finger to where Yoochun and Junsu were sitting with Changmin.  
  
Ever since "the Incident" a few weeks before, Sun Hea's favorite had changed from Junsu to Changmin. Junsu was slightly upset, but he decided that he was above being mad at Minnie because Sun Hea kept Changmin too occupied to be consistently sad.  
  
"Nice seats," Jaejoong commented as Changmin reached out to take Sun Hea.  
  
"Well we got here early enough."  
  
"Nini, smile!"  
  
Sun Hea was patting Changmin's cheeks.  
  
Changmin did so and Sun Hea shrieked with laughter (a trait that Jaejoong decided she had picked up from Junsu. Hopefully, she wouldn't be picking up too much of anything from Changmin, namely his snark and appetite.)  
  
"Sun Hea, no hello for me?" Junsu was pouting.  
  
"Su!" Sun Hea smiled at him but made no move to leave Changmin's lap, completely content to play with the buttons on his shirt and poke Changmin's face whenever he started to look morose.  
  
"I wonder about her," Yunho's voice floated into Jaejoong's ear, "She seems to understand to some extent that Changmin is hurting."  
  
"Well, she doesn't have a full grasp of language yet," Jaejoong whispered back, "She mostly just understands emotions."  
  
"I suppose. These kids all seem older than their age though, it's interesting."  
  
Jaejoong fought the urge to lay his head on Yunho's shoulder and instead began to amuse himself by poking Sun Hea when she wasn't looking, delighting in the way she scrunched up her nose at him in distaste.  
  
"Did you know that Yejin danced?"  
  
"What?"  
  
Jaejoong looked up distractedly at Yunho who was flipping through the program.  
  
"She's a student instructor," Yunho pointed and Jaejoong was rather pleased to see that Yejin had a solo.  
  
"That's a pleasant surprise."  
  
The lights dimmed and Jaejoong smiled as Yunho slid their hands together.  
  
"Hyung," Changmin hissed, "Tell Yoochun to stop molesting Junsu. Just because it's dark, it doesn't make it okay!"  
  
Jaejoong reached across Sun Hea to whack at Yoochun, trying not to notice where his hand disappeared and Junsu's pants began. "There. Are. Little. Children. Here." He mouthed when Yoochun glared at him. "Behave."  
  
"What are they doing?"  
  
Seungyon's interest had piqued and Jaejoong threw another glare at a sheepish Yoochun. "Nothing, Seungyon, now watch."  
  
The boy sulked, but settled back into seat next to Yunho who pushed the boy back every time he tried to peek at Yoochun and Junsu, hoping to catch them in whatever act Jaejoong had been so upset over.  
  
Jaejoong peeked too, but he told himself that it was so that they wouldn't do anything. It had nothing to do with the fact that he liked to see them happy, nothing at all.  
  
They had to wait through several numbers before Ha-Neul's class danced and Jaejoong couldn't hold back his giggle when she appeared on stage practically glowing in her own limelight. She danced her heart out (dance being a loose term) and Jaejoong was almost glowing himself as she walked offstage blowing kisses in her poofy pink dress.  
  
They waited until the end of the show (as directed by staff, unlinke other parents) before going to get her, and Jaejoong thought that sitting through the rest of the performances was worth it because [he got to see Yejin dance.  
](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72-jo2yG8Qc)  
By the first few movements of her body, he knew that the entire auditorium was mesmerized, even Seungyon was watching with mild interest.  
  
Her fluidity was flawless and Jaejoong couldn't imagine how she must have had to train her body to get such perfect control over every muscle.  
  
"Why is she in law school?" He barely heard Yunho over the thunderous applause, "She should be dancing."  
  
Jaejoong found himself agreeing wholeheartedly.  
  
  
"Where's Sun Hea?"  
  
A panicking Changmin appeared in front Junsu's face.   
  
"What do you mean where is she, she's with you," Junsu made sure that Yoochun was watching before sucking off dip that had leaked onto his fingers. Then his brain realized what Changmin had said. "She is with you, right?"  
  
Changmin shook his head.  
  
"She's with Jaejoong, then."  
  
Changmin shook his head.  
  
"Yunho?"  
  
"Dammit, Junsu, she's not with anyone; help me find her before Jaejoong finds out."  
  
"What's wrong?" Yoochun had walked over from where Ha-Neul had been introducing him to all her dance friends (he had actually staring at Junsu and not paying any attention to Ha-Neul's prattle, but no one needed to know that.)  
  
"Sun Hea isn't anywhere."  
  
"She has to be somewhere."  
  
"Well we don't know where that somewhere is and we need to find out before Jaejoong realizes that she's gone, otherwise...I don't really want to think about otherwise. Help us find her quick."  
  
Junsu latched onto Yoochun's arm and they began to scour the backstage area filled with people and food. "You think someone got married," Junsu growled, prowling through the sea of balloons and streamings littering the floor. "No wonder Changmin lost her."  
  
"She was supposed to be with you!"  
  
Changmin was spitting.  
  
"Actually, I distictly rememer setting her down by you so I could get food."  
  
"You're an idiot, you know that?"  
  
"I did tell you."  
  
"Well obviously I wasn't paying attention."  
  
"How the hell was I supposed to know that?"  
  
"Maybe by the fact that I didn't respond."  
  
"Shut up, both of you, and look normal. Jaejoong is watching us suspiciously."  
  
Junsu swallowed nervously as he tried to look confident. He knew that he had failed when Jaejoong's eyes narrowed and he walked over to them.  
  
"Shit," Changmin groaned, "Junsu you stupid, idiotic, moron. Why can't you possess any acting skills?"  
  
"Well if you _would pay attention to your surroundings_ , we wouldn't have a problem now would we?"  
  
"That has nothing to do with-"  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
"Enjoying the reception?" Yoochun asked pleasantly in a vain attempt to distract his friend, "Where's Yunho? Shouldn't you be finding a warm, dark corner somewhere to-"  
  
"Park Yoochun what did you do?"  
  
Yoochun yelped quietly, "Nothing."  
  
Jaejoong looked them up and down. He glanced back to where Seungyon was trying to feed Ha-Neul brownies and then to Yunho who was talking to some pediatrician who was a part time professor and then back to the trio in front of him. "Where is Sun Hea?"  
  
"Um..."  
  
The sound of Changmin's feet shuffling nervously was barely heard over the dull babble of the crowd.  
  
"Shim Changmin did you lose her?"  
  
"Technically," Junsu cleared his throat, "she escaped...however..."  
  
Junsu was sure that Jaejoong's eyes could burn holes in anything they came in contact with.  
  
"If you don't find her," the threat was quiet and low, "in five minutes there will be no sex," Jaejoong pointed to Yoochun, "no cuddling," Junsu whimpered, "and no porn," Changmin took a step back, "for a very long time. And I will employ every possible means to make sure that this is observed, even if I have to hire people to follow you everywhere you go and install hidden cameras in your dorm rooms and apartments. Am I perfectly clear?"  
  
"Find Sun Hea or my life is over," Junsu repeated dutifully.  
  
"You now have four minutes."  
  
The three scattered.  
  
  
  
Jaejoong tried not to hyperventilate as he threaded through the throngs of people to where Yunho was still chatting aimibly with his friend. Jaejoong had already forgotten his name.  
  
"They lost Sun Hea." _and I'm going to kill them_.  
  
"They what?"  
  
"Who?" Yunho's friend asked, his face dimpling as he smiled, and Jaejoong wondered if the who referred to 'they' or 'Sun Hea.'  
  
"Sun Hea's missing." Jaejoong tried to make himself calm down but his hands shook as he clutched at Yunho, not caring if anyone saw.  
  
"What should I be looking for?" Yunho's friend asked.  
  
"Two year old with pigtails," Yunho responded and Jaejoong tried to breathe evenly as he scanned the crowds, "with a very pink dress and white sandals."  
  
Five minutes turned into ten and after fifteen minutes, Jaejoong was petrified.  
  
Twenty minutes later, the room had somewhat cleared of people and after a full half hour of searching, Jaejoong almost cried with relief when he heard a loud, familiar shriek.  
  
  
  
Junsu's head turned when he heard the loud yelling and he relaxed, no longer fearing for his life (his sex life was still in danger, maybe, but he at least would live longer than a few more hours.)   
  
Sun Hea was crying in the arms of a man, her leg bleeding and her pink dress torn.  
  
Junsu's mouth went dry when he recognized the man.  
  
"Ch-Chunnie, that's Hyukkie's ex!"  
  
"Stalker-boy? Really?" Yoochun craned his neck to see over the people who had just passed in front of them.  
  
"Chunnie why is he holding Sun Hea?"  
  
"Nini! Su!"  
  
Changmin got to her first, pulling her from the man, cooing and fussing over her as she bawled.  
  
"Hello, Junsu," The man said, and Junsu slid his hand into Yoochun's.  
  
"Where did you find her?" Junsu asked.  
  
"Outside. She was attempting to climb a rock."  
  
"She was _what_?"  
  
Jaejoong had appeared, Yunho in tow, and someone else that Junsu recognized as a part time medical professor.  
  
"Um..." Junsu had forgotten the man's name (or rather erased it from memory after he had broken Hyukjae's heart,) "Climbing a rock..." Junsu was pleased to see that the man took a couple steps backwards under Jaejoong's stare.  
  
"I have some first aid stuff in my car," the other professor said, "I'll go get it."  
  
There was a moment of nothing but Sun Hea's quiet crying and Changmin's gentle, soothing replies to her senseless mumbles.  
  
Junsu moved to stand closer to Yoochun and relaxed slightly as his boyfriend wrapped an arm about his waist.  
  
Jaejoong, who had been staring at them raised an eyebrow and Junsu gave him a look that they had perfected in the past few years: "Help, caught in the midst of a possibly romantic situation that I don't want," or really just the, "Shit, help me now," look.  
  
"Thank you so much for finding her," Jaejoong said in his lawyer voice (Junsu noticed that Yunho threw his boyfriend a strange look,) "I appreciate it."  
  
The man seemed to understand that he was no longer wanted. "My pleasure."  
  
He backed away from them and Junsu jumped, slightly outraged as the man pinched his butt as he walked by.  
  
Yoochun growled in his throat and Junsu hoped that the man would get hit by a car.  
  
"Su!"  
  
Sun Hea was wriggling in Changmin's arms and Junsu had never been so happy to hear her calling his name. He felt extraordinarily guilty as he wiped away tears and kissed her cheek.  
  
The medical professor returned, a bag in tow and came to stand in front of them.  
  
"Hi, Sun Hea," he said kindly, and she sniffed, looking him over carefully. "My name is Leeteuk."  
  
A few more tears escaped her eyes.  
  
"Can I look at your leg?"  
  
Her lower lip trembled and Junsu shifted her gently, "He's gonna make it better, Sun Hea."  
  
She rubbed her salty face with dirty hands and Junsu heard Jaejoong clucking as he watched. Sun Hea finally relented and watched, tear free as Leeteuk cleaned her scrapes, talking to her, letting her chose a colored bandaid.  
  
"Pink!"  
  
"Better?" Junsu asked and Sun Hea answered by running back to Changmin, proudly showing him the pink bandaid.  
  
"Thank you," Jaejoong said. "Seriously, I've never seen her so calm in front of a doctor before."  
  
"You may have just gained a few more patients," Yunho was grinning.  
  
Jaejoong nodded, "Screw my sister; she should be here if she wants a say in this sort of thing. Do you have a card?"  
  
Leeteuk was blushing as he searched in his pockets.  
  
"Don't be embarressed," Yunho said, "You're good at what you do."  
  
"I'll look forward to seeing you," Leeteuk said, and Jaejoong tucked the card into a pocket. "Here," He squatted down and handed Sun Hea a few more pink bandaids, "You make sure your uncle uses those, okay?"  
  
She took them almost reverently, sliding them into a pocket of her dress and smiled toothily at him. Leeteuk patted the top of her head before making his excuses and leaving, blushing a little bit more at Jaejoong's profuse thank yous.  
  
Junsu took Sun Hea's hand as they were about to leave and smiled as Changmin took the other one. However, he felt himself pushed away as Seungyon picked his sister up, holding her close with a glare that Junsu was sure he had picked up from Jaejoong.  
  
"Seungyon..."  
  
"What? You obviously can't hold onto her to save your life. So _I_ will."  
  
Racous laughter from Yunho echoed in his ear. Who knew rejection from a ten year old would hurt so much?  
  
Yoochun was doing his best not to laugh but Junsu was sure he heard a chuckle as Seungyon's hair was ruffled. "Who knew that you had a heart?"  
  



	11. Professor of Broken Bones

_I should have asked him earlier_  
  
It wasn't like Jaejoong was attempting to ignore what Yunho had said the night Changmin's life had practically crashed down around his ears. 'I love you' wasn't really something that you _could_ ignore. There just hadn't been any time to talk to about it.  
  
Which was why Jaejoong was sitting in Yunho's apartment, snuggled in his couch and correcting mountains of tests and papers; except that Yunho wasn't there. He had had a meeting that Jaejoong hadn't known about resulting in the TA surprising an empty apartment with wine and lots of work to get done.  
  
 _Wrong_. Jaejoong made a mark on the test he was reading. _Our civil code is based on the Japanese one, not the Chinese._  
  
It was too many wrong, he didn't even have to do the math to know. It was depressing; Yejin had started out the year doing relatively well but her grades were slowly slipping, even her papers were becoming less coherent.  
  
He didn't want to finish her test, he'd let Yunho do it. Ignoring the other work that needed to be done, Jaejoong let his head fall onto pillows hoping that his professor would come home soon.  
  
  
  
There was something invigorating about coming back to your apartment and finding the person you love cuddled up on your couch, fast asleep in the middle of papers and tests that needed correcting. Yunho figured it must be some innate professor thing because he was sure that it wouldn't do to Yoochun or Junsu what it did to him.  
  
Then again, Yunho had to concede that Jaejoong sleeping in the middle of anything could win awards for being overly adorable. It was just an added plus that the professor had not at all been expecting to see Jaejoong until their class the next morning.  
  
Dropping his briefcase filled with even more things needing correction, Yunho sat on the floor next to the couch and just observed Jaejoong for a few moments as he breathed. Brushing away a few stray hairs that had fallen into Jaejoong's eyes, Yunho felt his heart squish as Jaejoong rubbed his nose into the pillow, his body reacting involuntarily to the ticklish contact.  
  
Slightly aroused, and feeling like he was being invited, Yunho trailed his fingers down Jaejoong's body, watching it's reaction to his touch, smiling as Jaejoong finally opened his eyes, blinking uncertainly.  
  
"I thought I had a robber in the house."  
  
"Hi," was the mumbled response, rubbing sleepily at eyes, a trait that perhaps was picked up from watching children for too long.  
  
"Not that I don't mind, but why are you here in my apartment adorably falling asleep and making me want to do very impure things to you?"  
  
Yunho swallowed nervously as a coy smile poked through the sleepiness clouding his lover's face. "Maybe I _want_ you to do impure things to me."  
  
"Ah…haha…uhm…"  
  
"Too bad there's so much to get done."  
  
"Jaejoong…" Yunho groaned, and he heard a small chuckle, felt a gentle kiss on the side of his face that wasn't buried in the couch seat, hiding his eyes from the image that could quite possibly cause his downfall.  
  
"Sorry," was the gentle whisper, "I just wanted to get out of the house for awhile."  
  
Yunho looked up. "I hope Yoochun isn't watching the kids. He has a test in my class tomorrow that he should be studying for."  
  
Jaejoong laughed. "Junsu is. Yoochun didn't want to be distracted so…"  
  
"Best to have Junsu occupied, and don't apologize. I think coming home and finding you here has just made my entire week."  
  
His lover attempted to burrow further into the cushions but Yunho held him up, sliding around him and the papers. Jaejoong grumbled at first, but he quieted down when Yunho kissed his forehead.  
  
"Did you get a lot done?" Yunho asked, sifting through the tests that were littered on the coffee table and couch. "You didn't finish Yejin's."  
  
"Didn't want to," was the mumbled response.  
  
That tone of voice concerning Yejin was never a good thing and Yunho flipped through the pages, wincing at all of the red Jaejoong had written. "That bad?"  
  
"Uhmmfff."  
  
Yunho shifted until he found Jaejoong's pen hidden in the fluffy mess and finished correcting the test, double checking what Jaejoong had already marked, just in case. "You didn't cut her any slack."  
  
"That would have gone over well with you," was the sarcastic reply  
  
"I would have forgiven you. Eventually."  
  
Jaejoong snorted and then sobered, "I've seen her notes. They're no where near as thorough as they need to be."  
  
"Dyslexia. No matter how smart you are, you can only take notes so fast."  
  
"I had something of a thought about that. I think Changmin should tutor her."  
  
Yunho's hand paused as he went to mark yet another answer partially incorrect. Definitely her worst test yet. "Does he have time?"  
  
"Well…he was working for Soo Ae's father, but he told Changmin to leave because Soo Ae's dad thought Changmin had broken his daughter's heart. Changmin didn't really feel like telling him the truth, so he just left. And now he has lots of free time that he spends with me, which is fine, but you know…I'm busy and the kids are only semi-distracting because they sleep a lot…"  
  
"I'll talk to her."  
  
Jaejoong pushed himself up managed to kiss Yunho's jaw before falling back down, "Thank you."  
  
Yunho finished the pile of papers Jaejoong was supposed to do before pushing it all away and snuggling down next to his lover.  
  
"Work," Yunho was poked.  
  
"You are supposed to be helping me. But you're not, you're distracting me terribly and I want to just lay here and hold you and not correct another damn thing tonight."  
  
A delicate shiver danced it's way down Yunho's spine as Jaejoong pulled him closer, his breathy voice on Yunho's neck whispering, "what happened to doing impure things to me?"  
  
Yunho's eyes fell shut as Jaejoong's lips kissed the places that his words had touched. "Well, we can do those too."  
  
  
  
"You want me to what?"  
  
"Tutor."  
  
"No."  
  
"Changminnie, please."  
  
"Hyung, no way."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Do not pout at me, I am not Yunho."  
  
"Min."  
  
"Jaejoong."  
  
"It'll be good for you."  
  
"Are you implying that what I'm doing now isn't good? Because I can not watch the kids if that's the case."  
  
"Changmin you know all too well that you need to do something other than just watch kids."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Why? Fine. I'll tell you. Because watching them makes you think of what you could have had with Soo Ae."  
  
Jaejoong knew he shouldn't have said it as soon as he saw Changmin's face fall. But it was said so the TA figured he should at least follow through.  
  
"I hear you crying at night, dongsaeng, I'm not stupid. You're still hurting and you need something to get your mind off of her."  
  
"I," Changmin faltered, "I'm perfectly capable of finding my own distractions, hyung."  
  
"Then why haven't you already?"  
  
Changmin remained quiet.  
  
"You need to start moving on, and I mean that in the most respectful way. You at least need to start sleeping at night, even if you have to stay with me."  
  
The face that Changmin pulled resulted in him being swatted, albeit gently. "Thanks but now that you have Yunho I don't think I'd be welcome in your bed. Plus, who knows what I'd be sleeping in…"  
  
"Changmin!"  
  
The younger laughed as Jaejoong smacked him again.  
  
"I'll do it."  
  
Jaejoong's raised hand froze and he looked momentarily surprised. "Really?"  
  
"You're right, of course, as usual. I need another distraction."  
  
Jaejoong grinned and Changmin rolled his eyes. Commence eternal gloating…now.  
  
  
  
Five minutes before class, Jaejoong wondered who Yunho had bumped into on the elevator that was keeping him from getting to the lecture hall.  
  
Three minutes before, Jaejoong texted Yoochun to see if Yunho had left his class on time.  
  
 _Had a test, remember? Don't know. I'm sure he did though, that's sort of a stupid question. Oh, can Sun Hea have peanuts? Cuz she just ate practically a whole jar..._  
  
Two minutes before, Jaejoong walked out into the hallway to see if Yunho was walking towards them.  
  
One minute before, and Jaejoong was texting Donghae (the number had somehow mysteriously appeared in his address book a few weeks before,) asking if Yunho was still in his office.  
  
At three o'clock Jaejoong decided that Yunho must have died because there was no way that he would miss class.  
  
At 3:01, when students realized that Yunho wasn't in the room, everyone looked to Jaejoong curiously.  
  
Jaejoong was panicking. Because Jung Yunho did not miss classes. Ever. Occasionally he would cancel them if he had conferences or cases that he wanted or needed to attend, but he always gave fair warning.  
  
So Jaejoong concluded that Yunho must have died somewhere between nine that morning when they had kissed goodbye (Jaejoong still wrapped in sheets, his brain still fuzzy from sleep) and just now.  
  
It was not a pleasant thought.  
  
His heart leaped in his throat when his phone beeped and there was a message from Donghae that said. _Hallway. Now._  
  
Jaejoong stood and said to the class, "Midterm review is in the back of the book. Study until I get back."  
  
Jaejoong thought Yunho would be proud.  
  
Beeping from Jaejoong's phone distracted him. _Hyung…peanuts, yes or no?_  
  
Growling, Jaejoong punched in a yes and looked up to see Donghae striding towards him, his face slightly ashen.  
  
 _Okay, I was kidding when I came to the decision that he died. Please let him be alright._  
  
"Wh-where's Yunho?"  
  
"Hospital."  
  
 _Not. Dead. Please._  
  
"Hospital…what?"  
  
"Someone pushed him down the stairs. Let's go."  
  
"Someone _what_?"  
  
"Jaejoong, dismiss your class."  
  
He needed his ears checked; no one would push Yunho.  
  
Vaguely, Jaejoong saw Donghae step into the classroom and speak gently, excusing the students from class.  
  
"Let's go, Jaejoong, come on."  
  
Jaejoong allowed himself to be led, not really caring that people could see how incredibly upset he was. He now fully and completely understood what it was like to "walk in a fog." He was very grateful for Donghae's hand in his and he tried to make a mental note to thank the professor later but he simply couldn't grasp onto the thought. All that was occupying his mind was Yunho.  
  
  
The fog didn't leave Jaejoong's mind until he saw Yunho lying in a bed crowded with doctors and nurses.   
  
Jaejoong just watched, knowing that the blood was draining from his face as Donghae spoke with a nurse. He did not like seeing his lover so…vulnerable. Yunho was only vulnerable to him, when they were alone.   
  
"Jaejoong come sit down."  
  
"No."  
  
"Jaejoong come on, please. You can go in as soon as they're done."  
  
"What happened?"  
  
"Come and sit."  
  
Jaejoong sighed and let Donghae lead him over to a chair.  
  
"He broke three ribs, his leg, and some other bone in his foot that I don't remember the name of."  
  
Jaejoong groaned and Donghae slid an arm around the TA comfortingly. "They already did a CAT scan and there's no internal damage, but he's going to be here for awhile, just to be safe."  
  
"Why would someone push him?"  
  
"It was probably an accident. Whoever it was just rushed by and knocked him the wrong way. They didn't stop, though, so no one knows what happened exactly."  
  
"If I ever find out who it was…"  
  
"You'll kill the guy. I know."  
  
"Murder. Bit by bit with dull chopsticks…maybe sharp ones…or wooden ones that cause splinters."  
  
Jaejoong forgot how long he sat there, didn't really register how many times Yoochun called him and left messages, trying to figure out why no one had come back to the house. ("If you're having office sex, Jaejoongie, you are not allowed to bitch Junsu and I out anymore.")  
  
Finally one of the nurses came over and said that they could go inside. Jaejoong had never moved so fast in his whole life.  
  
Yunho was making a valiant effort to smile as Jaejoong walked in, automatically smoothing hair and trying not to let Yunho see the tears of relief threatening to spill over perfect cheeks.  
  
"Hey," Yunho whispered, "I'm not dead or anything."  
  
Jaejoong clucked. "Look at you," he let his hand brush the casts and bandages lightly, gently stroking a bruise on Yunho's cheek. "Jung Yunho, newly instated professor of broken bones."  
  
"I do have two left feet."  
  
"Liar…"Jaejoong mumbled, letting his head rest on the bed as he sat down in a chair, gripping Yunho's hand, "stupid, lying, stupid professor. I can't believe you didn't show up for class."  
  
"I guess this sort of breaks my perfect record, doesn't it?"  
  
"I will never let you forget it. Ever."  
  
"I know."  
  
The gentle tone tugged at Jaejoong's heart and he swallowed hard, hiding his face again. A hand caressed his hair. "I said I'm not dead, idiot."  
  
"But you're _hurt_ ," Jaejoong finally looked up, "I don't like it when people I love get hurt."  
  
When Yunho didn't say anything, Jaejoong laid his head back down and tried to breathe evenly. After awhile, the hand began to smooth his hair again and Jaejoong found himself wanting to drift into sleep.  
  
"Jaejoong?" Yunho's voice was sleepy in Jaejoong's ears.  
  
"Mm…"  
  
"I love you too."


	12. History of Jung Yunho 101

Jaejoong woke to something light and soft being placed on his chest. A finger poked his cheek and he smiled, opening his eyes to see Sun Hea sitting on him.  
  
"Hi, Sunnie-yah," his voice sounded slightly scratchy in his ears.  
  
"Sad?" Sun Hea asked.  
  
Jaejoong nodded, petting her pigtails and arranging her dress carefully.  
  
"Min sad?"  
  
He almost nodded, and then realized what she was asking.  
  
"No, I'm not sad like Min. It's a different sad."  
  
She seemed to understand something of what he said and she laid down on Jaejoong's chest, squeezing the parts of him that she could tightly.  
  
After a few minutes, her breathing evened out and Jaejoong knew that she had fallen asleep. Muffled banging was heard and Jaejoong thought that it might have been pots from the kitchen. Worried, he moved to lift Sun Hea off of him but stopped as Changmin came through the door.  
  
"How are you?"  
  
"Tired. Still."  
  
"You were at the hospital all night, I'm surprised the staff didn't try to kick you out."  
  
"Oh, they did. They even called security but…well, you know how I forceful I can sometimes be."  
  
Changmin laughed, lifting Sun Hea up gently and cuddling her. It didn't take a genius to see how much the little girl had grown on him in the past few weeks and Jaejoong couldn't help but smile.  
  
"I think I'm going to bring the kids today. I cancelled all of Yunho's classes for the next two days until he decides what he wants to do about them."  
  
"He should just have you teach."  
  
Jaejoong snorted, swinging his feet to the floor and stretching as he stood. The muscles in his back were still sore from sleeping in very awkward hospital room positions. "Yeah right. I don't think so."  
  
"By the way, you may want to steer clear of the kitchen for another few minutes."  
  
Jaejoong froze and eyed Changmin fiercely.  
  
"I didn't do anything!" Changmin protested, "but Seungyon might have felt bad for you and tried to make you breakfast."  
  
"Seungyon?" Jaejoong was sure he had heard wrong.  
  
"I know, completely unexpected. Anyway…he burnt some pans and Yoochun's helping him clean it."  
  
Apprehension slid from Jaejoong's body like butter and he relaxed, smiling.  
  
  
  
There were two surprises waiting for Jaejoong when he got to the hospital with the kids. One was that Leeteuk was also visiting Yunho. Two, was that there was a police officer standing guard outside of Yunho's room. Jaejoong really wasn't sure how he felt about the latter.  
  
Sun Hea recognized Leeteuk immediately when they walked in and very proudly lifted her dress to show him her leg.  
  
"You took care of that so well!" Leeteuk praised her, "I can't even tell you got hurt," and Jaejoong took the opportunity to raise an eyebrow at Yunho who smiled weakly, not having to guess the question, mouthing _later_.  
  
"It's so nice that you're visiting Yunho," Leeteuk said to Sun Hea.  
  
Jaejoong giggled to himself when Sun Hea looked up to where Yunho was and tugged on Leeteuk's pants demanding, "Up!"  
  
Leeteuk swung a shrieking Sun Hea around before setting her down on Yunho's bed where she crawled over to him and placed a kiss on his cheek.  
  
"Hi, Sun Hea," Yunho smiled and tugged one of her pigtails.  
  
She cuddled easily into his arm and pointed at Jaejoong. "Sad," she said.  
  
"I know, I hope your keeping him happy for me."  
  
Jaejoong turned as he heard Seungyon snort and flicked his shoulder. "Just because you made me breakfast…" Threats were sometimes left better unsaid.  
  
Looking back at Yunho, if Jaejoong didn't know better (though it was quite possible that he didn't) he could have sworn that the two people on the bed had shared a very conspiratorial look. He pushed Ha Neul towards Yunho gently, gesturing for Seungyon to follow, the ten year old looking like he had been made to swallow soap.  
  
Ha Neul kissed Yunho's arm and then went back to hiding behind Jaejoong, watching the monitors beep in utter fasincation.  
  
"I'm glad you're feeling better," Seungyon said, "but I really don't like the smell in here so I think I'm going to go outside."  
  
"I'll take you," Leeteuk stood, "There's a garden outside that's really nice. Antispetic free, I promise."  
  
Seungyon looked up at Jaejoong who nodded his consent, realizing that this would provide time for him to question Yunho. And goodness knew there was lots of answering that needed to be done.  
  
Leetuek picked Sun Hea back up (you would have thought Christmas was early from the way she wriggled in delight) and beckoned to Ha Neul. At first, she refused to follow but after Jaejoong nudged her sternly, she latched onto her brother and they left.  
  
Neither man said anything as Jaejoong dragged a chair to Yunho's bedside and grasped his hand tightly. "Yunho…"  
  
"It's nothing."  
  
"Bullshit. Police officer's standing outside your door asking to see my ID to get in are not _nothing_ "  
  
"He asked for your ID?"  
  
" _Yes._ So you had better so some serious explaining, mister, or I might just not talk to you for a very long time."  
  
"Like you would be able to do that."  
  
" _Yunho_."  
  
"I'll tell you," Jaejoong felt his hand squeezed tightly, "but you have to promise me a few things. First, that you won't freak out…okay. Just that you won't freak out."  
  
Jaejoong felt something of a chill settle into his bones. "I'll try."  
  
"How much do you know about me? My past, I mean."  
  
"I know you had a graduate-level law degree before anyone else your age had finished pre-law, which is why you're teaching."  
  
"Partly true, slightly exaggerated, and false. I got my law degree in three years, undergraduate and graduate studies included-"  
  
"I _know_ you're fucking brilliant. No need to rub it in."  
  
"Shut up. I bet you didn't know that I started a law practice of my own with a former professor right after I graduated."  
  
"Ah…no."  
  
"One for criminal trials. My first case was a murder trial that the state lawyer's had refused to prosecute due to lack of evidence. I took it because I thought I could find more evidence and root out what happened. Which, I did."  
  
"Of course."  
  
Yunho's classroom "you are in trouble" look was thrown Jaejoong's way and the younger swallowed. "Sorry. I won't interrupt anymore."  
  
Yunho raised an eyebrow.  
  
"I won't. But…just so you know, that's a fucking sexy look."  
  
"Jaejoong."  
  
"I'm sorry. I want to hear this, I do. Continue."  
  
"Almost four years of me and you never learn, do you?"  
  
Jaejoong smiled hopefully.  
  
"Aish. Fine. So, long story short I have a ridiculously awesome case that I know I'm going to win, but it all hinges on this old widow who happened to see what had happened. And yes, I have the notes if you want to read them sometime instead of me attempting to recount everything to you."  
  
"I love how you can sometimes read my mind."  
  
"I've read too many of your papers."  
  
"You didn't have to assign so many…"  
  
Another hopeful smile followed an incredulous snort.  
  
"So…the witness was threatened."  
  
"By my former professor then partner. He was bribed slash blackmailed slash violently coerced…not necessarily in that order, he never actually told me the details, just apologized later. Anyhow, I lost the case because I lost her."  
  
"Wait a second. I think I heard about this."  
  
Yunho nodded, "It was all over the news. My partner's name was spewed left and right in the media."  
  
"Oh my god I remember that. Junsu and I followed that so close; we met Changmin that way because he was the only other law student who was following it as close as we were. That was the one with the State Council delegate, right, the one who supposedly shot a guy," Jaejoong let out a strangled noise at Yunho's nod, "Everyone was in an uproar. Oh my god, I can't believe that you were the one who went up against him…actually, I take that back. I can believe it."  
  
"The government allowed me to use a fake name for security reasons. It worked until the trial ended, then I started getting death threats in the mail."  
  
Jaejoong's heart froze, his mind beginning to add two and two together.  
  
"They didn't stop so I dismantled my practice and the University offered me a teaching position so that I could hide."  
  
"Wait, you're saying…so…someone did push you?"  
  
"I don't know," Yunho replied, and his head rested back against the pillow, "The security is a precaution. But Jaejoongie…I know I didn't trip, and there's no way someone could just brush past me like that and make me fall down three flights of stairs."  
  
"Fuck, Yunho."  
  
"I know. Jaejoong…Jaejoong I don't want to-" Yunho stopped, apparently trying to gather his thoughts but Jaejoong got there first, his fury setting in deep.  
  
"Don’t you even _think_ about spouting some bullshit about not wanting to get me involved."  
  
"Not just you, Jaejoong-ah. It's Junsu, Changmin, Yoochun, the kids, hell, even Soo Ae. I refuse to be the reason that someone gets hurt."  
  
"No one is going to get hurt," Jaejoong felt tears stinging his eyes, "I won't let anyone else get hurt, I can't. And I'm not letting you walk away from me because of something that might happen. I can't do that, Yunho."  
  
 _My heart would not survive it._  
  
"I'm not walking away from anything," Yunho whispered, "but understand that's how I feel too. I don't want anyone to get hurt either." Yunho sat up gingerly, cupping Jaejoong's face in his hands, thumbing away tears. "I don't want _you_ to get hurt. That would kill me, Jaejoong, and if anyone ever found that out…"  
  
Yunho let the thought go unfinished, choosing instead to pull Jaejoong towards him and although it was gently, Jaejoong couldn't help but notice the wince which pulled across his face.  
  
"Yunho…"  
  
"Please, just…just let me hold you. Just for a minute, then I promise I'll go back to being a good patient."  
  
Jaejoong let his arms reply as he wrapped them carefully around his lover.  
  
"Come back to my sister's apartment when you're released."  
  
"Jaejoong."  
  
"Please, Yunho. If this is really what everyone thinks it is, then it'll be easier to protect everyone if they're all in the place, right? I'm going to be practically living at your apartment anyway to take care of you, and it's not like you can competently tend to yourself anyway."  
  
A nose nuzzled itself into a shoulder and Jaejoong felt Yunho's embrace tighten ever so slightly, "Why did I teach you to argue so effectively?"  
  
"Because you love me," Jaejoong replied, and then blushed when he realized what he had said.  
  
Yunho pulled away and kissed him sweetly, "I do," before resting back on the bed.  
  
"I'm going to pilfer pillows from your couch for you."  
  
"…I might need a few other things."  
  
"Not as important as Yunho's couch pillows."  
  
"Not even toiletries? Clothing?"  
  
"Definitely not clothing," and Jaejoong laid down on the bed next to Yunho as they shared a quiet chuckle.  
  
"I really don't know what's going on," Yunho whispered after a few moments of drawing his hand through Jaejoong's hair.  
  
"That's okay. We'll take all the right precautions, whatever they may be. I promise. And by the way. That was not nothing. Don't ever lie like that again."  
  
"Okay," was the weak response and Jaejoong smiled into the uncomfortable hospital mattress.  
  
"I should go home and tell the others…actually, I should call my sister."  
  
Jaejoong tried to sit up, but stopped as Yunho's held a hand to his shoulder. "Don't leave just yet. Just…lay here with me, for a little while…please."  
  
"I can do that."  
  
"You better, or I'll fail you."  
  
"Speaking of which, who's going to teach your classes?"  
  
"You are, of course. Except for the higher level classes, someone else will sub those."  
  
"Funny," Jaejoong poked the side of Yunho's leg.  
  
"I'm serious, Jaejoong. What do you think TA's are for? Just passing out tests?"  
  
This time Jaejoong did sit up, his mouth suddenly very dry. "Please tell me that you're kidding."  
  
"I'm serious."  
  
There was no mistaking Yunho's serious, I'm not making jokes, you better do as I ask face.  
  
"Fuck, Yunho, I can't teach three classes."  
  
"Of course you can. You know just as much as me."  
  
Jaejoong stared blankly at him, thinking of how Changmin had teased him about this only hours before. _I'm never going to live this down._  
  
"I'm going to die."  
  
"Nonsense. It's not like I won't be around to help you prepare, you'll be fine."  
  
"I'm going to die."  
  
"Please don't say that, it's so depressing." Yunho reached out and caressed Jaejoong's face, "I wouldn't be asking you if I thought you incapable."  
  
Jaejoong let out a soft stream of incomprehensible syllables.  
  
"Besides, Leeteuk told me you cancelled everything for the next two days, so we have plenty of time to prepare."  
  
"I hate you," Jaejoong groaned.  
  
Yunho chuckled. "You love me," he corrected, leading Jaejoong's mouth to his for another kiss.  
  
"I do," Jaejoong murmured, and then he pulled a face, inwardly glowing at Yunho's disapproving glare. "Welcome back, professor."


	13. Wanting

Jaejoong had never been more nervous in his entire life. Not even one of Yunho's tests could have made him this on edge. He had spent all of last night reading Yunho's lecture notes, memorizing the way Yunho had written them. Jaejoong wasn't really sure if that had helped him at all, so in the end, he decided that it was best if he did as little talking as possible.

"Put your notebooks away," he finally said, after a few minutes of awkward silence, "First, Yunho is fine. He didn't break his leg like we originally thought, or his foot, but he twisted his ankle which is why is swelled, so that's good. He's going home tonight, however, no one is really sure when he's coming back to teach."

This of course was more due to the fact of the fall most likely not being an accident, but his students didn't need to know that.

"Second, this is not disrupting any plans for any more class days, so don't get your hopes up. However, this is the first time Yunho's ever missed a class so I expect you all to give him hell for it when you see him next."

A few people giggled.

"And lastly, I will be taking over this class until Yunho says otherwise. He asked me to remind you all to respect me and that if you have a problem with that you can talk to him…however, you might have some difficulties getting past the hospital staff," and the officer guarding him, Jaejoong added in his head, relieved that at least a few students had found that funny.

"I wanted to try something different in the next couple days, something I wish that this university had my grade do more often our first year. This is going to take a few classes but it's worth it…and before you ask, yes, Yunho approved of this idea. Split yourselves into threes, please."

There was some shuffling and giggling as people paired themselves up. Jaejoong watched as the boy that Sangmi had bothered with her feet on the first classes sat himself down next to Yejin who was blushing a terrible shade of red. Another girl, one of Yejin's friends, began to chat to him over Yejin's lap, oblivious to her friend's discomfort.

Jaejoong solicited a student to write the pairs up on the board and as he wrote them down in a notebook. "So, we're going to do this elimination style. I'm going to name a random topic - anything at all - and you and your partner are going to have fifteen minutes to come up with an argument for or against it - whichever I tell you. Winners move onto the next round. The last two will receive a few extra points on anything they choose - paper, test, even the final. And, if you put enough effort into this, I may be able to convince Yunho to let it count as a test substitute."

Jaejoong tried not to grin as he heard the excited murmurs. "This is a chance for the people who may not memorize well, but speak and process information better on the fly. We do try to be accommodating here."

A snort was heard and Jaejoong was positive that it had been Sangmi. "Sangmi your group will go first. You have fifteen minutes to build a case stating that pottery is not a legitimate form of art compared to sculpture."

"Are you fucking serious?"

Jaejoong glared at her. "You will refrain from using such language. Just because Yunho isn't here, it doesn't mean that his classroom rules don't apply. Sunghyun," Jaejoong named a skinny boy in the back that he knew hated Sangmi with a passion, "Your group will be arguing the opposite. Either of you may enlist a classmate or two as a witness. The rest of you, I suggest you pick a side and write out arguments, the more you do this, the better you will be when your turn comes around."

Jaejoong pulled out a timer. "Your fifteen minutes start now."

Sangmi was glowering as she turned to her group, but Jaejoong noted that she wasted no time in immediately bulldozing her groups conversation and ideas.

Sitting back in his chair, Jaejoong caught Yejin's eye and beckoned to her. With Yunho in the hospital, it had fallen upon the TA to broach the subject of tutoring. She stood and walked over, sitting in the chair that Jaejoong usually occupied during Yunho's lectures.

"This is about my last test, isn't it?" She asked quietly.

"Yes."

"I failed?" She whispered, obviously feeling miserable.

"You were a few points from that but it was pretty close," Jaejoong scooted closer to her, "Look, Yejin, I know you're smart, both Yunho and I do. You always have the right answers in class and you're papers are really good in comparison to the rest of the stuff I have to read."

Yejin smiled.

"Correct me if I'm wrong but it's writing down all of Yunho's notes and organizing all the information from the book that's hampering you."

She nodded slowly, throwing a glance over her shoulder to her cousin who had thankfully not noticed their little powwow. 

"Yejin, would you consider being tutored?"

"By you?" She asked, cautiously.

"I would love to help you, but I can't. You…could find someone in class, but I have a friend who's in need of…well honestly, a distraction from life. He's really smart and I know he'd really be able to help you. At least think about it for awhile. You can tell me in class tomorrow, alright?"

Yejin nodded, "I will."

"Good. Go help your teammates; I think they think I stole you away for good."

Jaejoong was feeling immensely satisfied as he sat down and watched the class bite their lips and scratch their heads as they tried to come up with arguments that wouldn't make any one double over in laughter. It was a good exercise; what lawyer didn't have to bullshit answers once and awhile and make something ridiculous sound completely legitimate?

Maybe the teaching thing wouldn't be so terrible after all.

 

Yunho was waiting desperately for his pain medications to kick in when Yoochun barged into the hospital room practically dragging his overstuffed book bag behind him. He looked thoroughly pissed.

"I consider myself to be a relatively smart person."

"Hi?"

"I mean, would you say that in the grand scheme of things, I generally try to seek out the truth to better my understanding of a particular subject?"

Yunho took a steadying (painful) breath and folded his hands, sensing that Yoochun was having some sort of academic crisis and needed Professor Jung to listen, not Jaejoong's boyfriend. "I would say that, yes."

"And would you also not say that professors do the same thing?"

"They must."

"So, logically following this," Yoochun spoke animatedly with his hands, pacing the room, "if a smart professor and a smart student disagreed, then there should at least be equal listening on both sides, right?"

"Yoochun, what happened?"

The prowling stopped and Yoochun sighed. "Your substitute or whatever you want to call him didn't like the fact that I calmly and rationally argued against him concerning the pluses and minuses of a jury trial system."

"Oh dear."

"And I mean, I've had a little experience with this, coming from America," Yoochun began to pace again, "and you even said the exact same thing the other day, but he wouldn't listen to me! So now I have to do research on the stupid thing even though I already know it."

"Pull up a chair, we'll go over it."

"Thank you." 

A pen between his teeth, Yoochun rummaged in his bag for a notebook, but Yunho shook his head, "don't write it down, it'll look awful if you're going through notes."

Grumbling, Yoochun put it away. "Oh, I almost forgot. From Jaejoong."

Yunho's mouth began to water automatically as Yoochun pulled out a container of food from his bag. There was no need to even have to know what was in it. 

"I love him," Yunho stated, "Dear God I love that man so much."

"Keep the mush to yourself and help me understand this stupid shit better."

Yunho snapped his chopsticks at him, pain forgotten; "Watch what you're calling stupid."

 

When Jaejoong arrived at the hospital room (Sun Hea in tow,) to pick up Yunho a few hours later, Yoochun was still there. 

"Thank God," Yunho muttered, "I signed the release papers hours ago."

"Yes, well, you know," Jaejoong forced a smile, "I had to teach…"

Sniggering was heard from Yoochun as he began to put his books away.

"How did it go?"

"Good," Jaejoong smiled, pushing a wheelchair over to the bed, "You can question me later, we need to get back before Changmin and Seungyon kill each other."

"Junsu was supposed to be there," Yoochun said (like it was supposed to fix the problem, Jaejoong noted,) "is he not there?"

"He is, but there's a soccer game on, so he's not really paying attention to anything else."

"Jaejoong, I am not going to sit-"

"Yes you are," There was no question in Jaejoong's mind that Yunho had been about to protest the use of a wheelchair.

"Jaejoong."

"I'm sorry, are you actually trying to argue this with me Mr. Three broken ribs and a twisted ankle? You go right ahead and see how far you get walking." He crossed his arms, face set as he tried to mirror Yunho's stubborn face.

The only sound was Sun Hea tottering around the room, looking behind chairs and potted plants asking quietly, "Teukie?"

Grumbling mixed with a sigh escaped Yunho's lips and Jaejoong knew that he had won.

"Thank you."

Yunho earned another glare as he tried to wave off Jaejoong gently supporting his back as he swung his legs (slowly) off the bed.

"Admit it," Yoochun grinned as he grabbed a hold of Sun Hea's hand, "you are so whipped."

"Shut up," Yunho gritted his teeth.

"I told you walking was a stupid idea. Aren't I smart?"

"You can shut up too."

"I don't think you want dinner tonight."

"Like you could ever purposefully starve anyone."

"I sent Seungyon to bed with no supper last night."

Yunho sighed. "You don't love him like you love me."

"Wow, the L word already. Why didn't you tell me, Joongie?"

"He told you to shut up," Jaejoong muttered, trying not to smile as Yunho grabbed onto his hand affectionately as soon as he was comfortably seated.

"Sorry, I shall dutifully distance myself from your lover squabbles."

"Sit!" Sun Hea wiggled out of Yoochun's hand and pointed to Yunho's lap. Jaejoong had to admit that it did look terribly inviting.

"It's fine," Yunho said, "She can sit."

Jaejoong lifted her and set her gently on Yunho's lap. She started to lean back but Jaejoong held her firmly. "No, he's still hurting."

She frowned, trying to push herself back. 

"Sun Hea, sit as I'm telling you or you will walk with Yoochun."

"You make it sound unpleasant," Jaejoong heard Yoochun sniff.

After another minute of sulking she seemed to finally understand and let Yunho hold her in place, his hands on her waist. Jaejoong wished, just for a second, that he could be Sun Hea. He missed those hands on his body. Yunho winked at him as soon as Jaejoong let the longing sigh escape his lungs.

"God you two, let's just go, okay? Want me to push him so that you two can send special looks at each other as we walk out?"

"You really need to shut up," Jaejoong said, "Like really, Yoochunnie; I'm going to tell on you."

"Mature, hyung, so mature."

"It's the kids," Yunho said as Jaejoong steered him out, Sun Hea squealing in excitement, obviously not expecting the movement at all.

"You keep telling yourself that, Yunho. Trust me, his maturity level has actually gone up since he had to be a responsible adult. Did you seriously never hear him squeal over you before class?"

"Yoochun!"

"Oh, I heard. I would wait outside the door to the classroom and listen, it was the best part of my day."

Jaejoong blushed. I'm going to die of embarrassment. "You did not."

"I did too. It was very cute."

I can see the headlines now: Death by Embarrassment. Jaejoong hoped that the police officer following them out had really bad hearing.

"Seriously, Jaejoong, it was adorable."

"Okay, I'm sorry I said anything. Let's just get home please, I'm missing my Su."

"I hope he's too engrossed in the soccer game to notice you," Jaejoong bit out.

"My Susu always notices me."

"You are not allowed to talk to me until we get home."

"You're only proving my point about immaturity."

"Yoochun, just let him seethe."

"Thank you, Yunho."

"Whatever. I cannot wait to get back and kiss my boyfriend senseless."

"I've never speaking to you again."

"That's fine, hyung. I'll just talk to Yunho."

"Pink!" Sun Hea squealed and Jaejoong sighed as Yunho and Yoochun cooed over her.

I'm not immature.

 

"How is this fair?" Jaejoong murmured as he tucked a blanket around Yunho, "I finally get live in the same house with you and we can't even sleep in the same bed."

"You're pout is adorable," Yunho replied, managing to kiss the corner of it as Jaejoong's face passed his in the middle of his blanket tucking.

"Yunho."

"I know. It's really unfair." 

Jaejoong sat by the recliner and let his head fall onto the cushion, gripping Yunho's hand tightly. "Maybe I'll just sleep like this tonight."

"I don't think so. Then we might end up with two people in wheel chairs."

"Hah."

"You said finally…that implies you've been thinking about living with me?'

"I…" Jaejoong knew that he was blushing (for the millionth time that day,) "That's…I mean…"

How many times am I going to die of embarrassment today?"

Yunho smiled. "I'm honored that you want to share my bed."

Jaejoong stared stupidly at him for a second before saying, "Did you actually just say that?"

"I guess I did. Was it a little weird? I was trying to distract you from your awkwardness…even though it was really cute."

"You turn me into a pile of mush," Jaejoong muttered, "I think I'm going to get toothaches because you're so damn sweet."

"Thank you?"

"You're welcome," Jaejoong laid his head back on the recliner. "Besides, I have shared your bed."

"You don't have to remind me," Jaejoong shivered slightly at Yunho's tone, "I relive that night in my head all the time."

Jaejoong was fighting too many urges to think of a reply.

"So the class went good?"

"Yeah." Breathe.

"What did you have them debate?"

"Pottery vs. Sculpture."

"Jaejoong, I was kidding when I suggested that earlier."

"I know. Turns out you're a genius, though. Sangmi's team completely failed to prove that you can't consider pottery an art form. Sunghyun's argument was incredible, I felt like I was listening to evidence in a murder trial because of the way he laid it all out, you should have heard him."

"Stupid stairs," Yunho muttered.

Jaejoong silently agreed, closing his eyes and breathing in Yunho's scent which had somehow already permeated the seat.

"You really shouldn't sleep there."

"I know," Jaejoong almost melted as he felt a hand tangle itself in his hair almost passionately. 

"Jaejoong…"

He looked up, surprised at the tone of voice, and swallowed.

"Yunho don't, we can't."

"I'd rather deal with the pain of breathing hard then…then not having you."

"You can't have me, now, Yunho-yah. You can barely move, how are you supposed to…Yunho…"

"At least kiss me."

Jaejoong became momentarily dizzy as Yunho's hand roamed his torso and Jaejoong somehow squished himself onto a corner of the recliner so he could access the lips he'd been staring at all night.

"Touch me," Yunho breathed into Jaejoong's ear and electricity twisted his gut, "Please, Joongie-ah, you've been driving me insane all night."

"Yunho…"

"Breathing hard is good, the doctor said deep breaths are good, it's what I have the pain meds for, love, so I can breath and not get an infection."

Jaejoong wasn't sure why his hand slid down Yunho's pants when his brain was telling it not to, but he stopped wondering with Yunho moaned into his ear.

Jaejoong swallowed the sounds his lover was making, murmuring gentle pleas for silence so no one would hear. He accidently bit Yunho's lip when he felt the professor grip his hips and maneuver him into a position that allowed for some touching of his own.

"Yunho…"

"Stop protesting this. My arms and hands are in perfect health. Thank God."

Jaejoong lost his reply as he arched himself into Yunho's touch. "See," Yunho said, all breath and no voice, quiet as a tomb, "neon narul wonhae."

Jaejoong lost all reason at Yunho's soft declaration, (yes, yes, I do,) and looking back, he didn't even know how they managed to not make any noise as they came all over each other and the recliner and the floor.

"When I can properly move again," Yunho had whispered, cradling Jaejoong's head on the part of himself that didn't ache, "I am locking us inside my bedroom and we will not be leaving it for days."

"That is probably the most brilliant thing you've ever said, and you've said a lot of smart things"

Jaejoong looked up to see Yunho wincing as he shifted slightly in his seat. Jaejoong sent his lover a look that was upset but also slightly resigned.

"It's worth it," Yunho whispered, "You're always worth it, Jaejoong-ah."


	14. Suspension

"Changmin, this is Yejin, and vice versa. Minnie, say hi and then stand there stupidly for a second so the obligatory awkward moment is over and she doesn't have to be the one to do it."  
  
" _Hyung_!"  
  
Yejin laughed and Jaejoong immediately knew that he had said the right thing.  
  
"I'm not Seungyon!" Changmin muttered irritably as Jaejoong patted his shoulder  
  
"I know, that's why you're here. Now go."  
  
Jaejoong shooed them away and walked out of the mini law library housed in the building's basement (for quick reference in case you didn't have time to walk across campus to the main library,) waving to Donghae distractedly who was lugging a fish tank across campus.  
  
It was going to be terribly awkward in the fall, Jaejoong mused, when he went back to being a student.  
  
  
  
"Your notes are mess," Changmin stated.  
  
"I know," Yejin supplied weakly, "That's why I'm here."  
  
"How have you survived Yunho's class so far?"  
  
"I haven't."  
  
Changmin looked up from the scrawl of letters, immediately feeling slightly guilty. "I'm sorry," he apologized, "I'm used to just yelling at Jaejoong when he does something stupid. I didn't think."  
  
"I…can't picture Jaejoong doing something stupid."  
  
"That's because he's your teacher and he's my friend. I only saw Yunho in one particular way for years and it's only recently that I've been getting to know his non-teacher personality."  
  
"You're…friends with Yunho?"  
  
Changmin smiled. "Yes, and I'm sure that's going to be an awkward factor come fall, for more reasons than one."  
  
"Why is that?"  
  
 _Well, besides that fact that I can no longer look at him without thinking about what I almost accidentally interrupted the other night because I was hungry?_ "Oh, nothing in particular, I guess. Just…going back to being student-professor after being friend-friend…"  
  
 _I am so lame_.  
  
"Oh…" Yejin seemed to accept this and Changmin wondered if she had even actually heard anything he had just said.   
  
"Let's talk about your notes. Yunho never talks about stuff in the book because he assumes that you've read it. So he extrapolates on it."  
  
"So I absolutely have to read everything before class?'  
  
Changmin stared at her horrified. "You mean you _haven't_ been?"  
  
Yejin bit her lip, "Well, I've at least skimmed."  
  
"Why don't you tell me how you study."  
  
"You'll just yell at me," Yejin said quietly and Changmin inwardly sighed.  
  
"I won't yell, I promise. I will work so hard with you so that the next test you will blow both Jaejoong and Yunho completely out of the water."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Cross my heart."  
  
"Okay."   
  
Changmin felt his first smile in weeks (that wasn't forced for Sun Hea or Jaejoong) creep onto his face. It felt very good.  
  
  
  
Jaejoong was leaning towards Yunho for a kiss when Yoochun came bursting through the door, looking positively livid.  
  
"What's wrong?" Yunho asked, and Jaejoong looked an awakening Junsu who had been napping on the couch, waiting for Yoochun to get back so that they could go out to dinner. Junsu looked rather worried.  
  
"Your _replacement_ threw me out of the classroom. And _then_ ," Yoochun held up a hand as Jaejoong opened his mouth to swear, "he made me wait in the hallway like some highschooler until class was done and walked me to the dean's office - the _dean's office -_ and told him that I was disruptive and that I, fuck what was the phrase…oh, 'refused to learn like an obedient student and adored Professor Jung to an absurd degree."  
  
Yoochun took a breath and Jaejoong was gripping the arm of Yunho's recliner so hard his hands were white.  
  
"And he fucking 'respectfully requested' that I 'be suspended until further notice' and that 'Professor Yunho be put under review for incorrect teaching methods' and…" Yoochun trailed off, swallowing nervously, voice finally quieting as he met Jaejoong's eyes. "um…also for improper relations with students."  
  
The sound of the apartment door opening seemed to echo slightly and Changmin came into the living area, grumbling. "There's an unmarked police car watching the door again, hyung."  
  
He stopped mid stride, noticing the tense atmosphere perhaps a few seconds late. "Um…"  
  
"No," Jaejoong whispered, "No, we were so careful; there's no way anyone could have found out."  
  
"What's going on?" Changmin looked from Junsu to Yunho.  
  
"What did the Dean say?" Yunho asked.  
  
"He suspended me. He wouldn't even listen to my side of the story."  
  
"Wait, what did I miss?" Changmin stared in horror at Yoochun, "What did you do?"  
  
"Nothing. I…I was so calm, I didn't yell. I stood up and recited everything, word for word," Yoochun was looking at Yunho, "I rebutted every single one of his arguments and I had people interested, engaged even. And then he just said, 'too bad you had Professor Jung prepare everything for you,' which you didn't…"  
  
Junsu had come up behind Yoochun and wrapped arms around him. Yoochun tried to hold his composure, but Jaejoong was sure that it was only a matter of moments before he started crying.  
  
"You were incredibly helpful and…well fuck." He looked back to Jaejoong, "I…I don't think he knows, Joongie, but now you're going to have to be extra careful. I'm sorry, this is all my fault."  
  
Jaejoong found himself sandwiching Yoochun with Junsu and he whispered, "No one is blaming you, Yoochunnie, no one at all."  
  
"I'm the one that's sorry," Yunho said softly from his chair.  
  
Jaejoong turned around and glared at Yunho. "This is not your fault, Jung Yunho."  
  
"Well it's _someone's_ fault," Junsu growled.  
  
"Obviously the idiot professor's," Jaejoong said, "who I'd really like to go punch."  
  
"Because that would solve everything, hyung," Changmin plopped himself down on the couch. "Would you like to hear some good news?"  
  
"Yes," all four men said at once.  
  
"I discovered part of the reason why Yejin is failing."  
  
Jaejoong perked up. "Really?"  
  
Changmin shot Yunho a look. "She wasn't reading."  
  
Junsu squeaked.  
  
Yunho sighed, "No matter how many times I say it, no one ever reads."  
  
"I read!" Jaejoong protested.  
  
"You all read," Yunho said, and then glanced at Junsu, amending, "Mostly."  
  
"Can we talk about Yoochunie being suspended?" Junsu asked, "That seems to be more of a problem…no offense," he added quietly, and Yunho just winked.  
  
"You're not suspended," he said, "I will call the Dean tomorrow and fix that, it's the most ridiculous thing ever."  
  
"Thank you," Yoochun said weakly, collapsing onto the couch, his head in Junsu lap.  
  
"Do not put your feet on me, Yoochun."  
  
Jaejoong smiled a little as Yoochun purposefully stretched his legs out, digging underneath Changmin's legs. "Hyung, don't put them near me, on me, under me, or anywhere within my general vicinity."  
  
"They're cold," Yoochun pouted.  
  
"Then put some socks on," Changmin said, irate, "We should order out, Jaejoong."  
  
"Fine," Jaejoong murmured, already back to sitting beside Yunho's recliner, head resting by his thigh.  
  
Yoochun uttered a loud exclamation suddenly, making everyone jump. "That stupid bastard, he's making me so mad."  
  
"Yoochun."  
  
Jaejoong looked up at Yunho's tone of voice, mind immediately scurrying back to student-teacher mode. That was never a tone to argue with. "Stop worrying. I'll take care of it."  
  
A nod ended the discussion.  
  
Changmin ordered pizza (as dictated by Sun Hea when she had woken from her nap,) and they sat around the TV eating it, watching cartoons, talking about anything but the University and stupid professors.  
  
  
  
Junsu crawled into Yoochun's bed (his presence was now pretty much guaranteed in the household,) and pressed his nose into Yoochun's neck. "I'm sorry your day sucked," he whispered.  
  
Yoochun bumbled his way through a few syllables and Junsu wondered if it was meant to be a sentence.  
  
"Hey, you know I love you, right? Suspension or no."  
  
"Gee thanks. It really would have sucked if you had left me because of that."  
  
"I won't ever leave you."  
  
A finger slid underneath his chin, raising it, and warm lips fell upon his own.  
  
"I know."  
  
  
  
Yunho pulled Jaejoong down for the kiss he should have received hours ago. "Much better," he murmured and Jaejoong sat down gingerly upon his lap. "This chair is getting to be slightly uncomfortable."  
  
"I think you're trying to wheedle your way into my bed."  
  
"I just want to sleep well."  
  
"You just want to sleep with me."  
  
"I think I taught you too well," Yunho muttered.  
  
Jaejoong poked him.  
  
"Please?" Yunho tried to pull the face that Jaejoong always used on him. He wasn't sure if it was successful. "I promise to rest on lots of pillows and not touch you. Sexually."  
  
Jaejoong snorted and Yunho considered tickling him, just to see his smile.  
  
"Jaejoong, it's been a week of sleeping on this damn recliner, my ankle is fine now, my ribs are healing…I love you?"  
  
"Jung Yunho was that a question?"  
  
"No," Yunho said weakly. "That was pleading."  
  
Yunho heard a sigh and he knew that he had won. Apparently he hadn't taught Jaejoong too well. Who knew if that was actually a good thing.  
  
"If you are any worse in the morning..."   
  
_You and your threats._ "I will go back to sleeping out here. And I will grovel and you can say I told you so as many times as you like and I will do whatever you tell me for a whole week."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"When I'm better," Yunho added as an afterthought.  
  
"Deal."  
  
Yunho knew what Jaejoong was thinking. _Either way I win_  
  
"Thank you for taking care of Yoochun," Jaejoong said, when Yunho was resting on four pillows, breathing easy, their hand linked together under blankets.  
  
"He was treated unfairly."  
  
"Who did you call after supper?"  
  
"A friend. He's pulling a few strings for me to straighten everything out."   
  
"Is this friend like all your other friends?"  
  
"What is that supposed to mean exactly?"  
  
"Just that you have unique friends."  
  
"I think we should move onto another topic. Come get closer to me, you are too far away."  
  
Yunho closed his eyes, loving the sound the sheets made as Jaejoong moved in them, wiggling closer, resting on the same pile of pillows. "See, this was a brilliant idea. I should pull a patent for it so that no one can ever sleep in your bed but me."  
  
Jaejoong laughed. "That was a good line."  
  
"It comes from being brilliant. Ow. I'm injured, remember?"  
  
  
  
Before making his way into the kitchen, Changmin listened (something he should have done the last time,) to make sure that every one was asleep. Hearing nothing, be crept through the living room and then snorted when he saw that the recliner was empty. Apparently, someone had done some sweet talking.  
  
Feeling less apprehensive (though still cautious, his hyungs were very creative with their time together,) he searched out the refrigerator and decided that he did not want leftovers. Or anything else in the fridge. Or the pantry.  
  
He knew what he wanted (the midnight snack that Soo Ae used to make him) and he had been craving it terribly. He had tried to make it, but that had turned out worse than Seungyon making Jaejoong breakfast. It had taken a lot of persuading and bribing of Yoochun to not tell Jaejoong. Changmin knew that he should have pestered Soo Ae for the recipe more seriously but he hadn't really expected to never have her to make it for him.   
  
Finally settling on the last pear (Seungyon was going to kill him but whatever,) Changmin hefted himself onto the counter to eat it.   
  
He thought that he was doing relatively well, considering. He had genuinely smiled earlier in the day, which he felt good about. Not exactly something he could share with anyone else because they would most likely only see that he _hadn't_ been genuinely smiling up to that point, but Changmin was a glass half full sort of person.  
  
So was Soo Ae, but that memory really wasn't helping anything.  
  
Changmin finished his snack (which did nothing to sate his craving) and flopped down onto the couch to consider his position.  
  
The previous night he had come to something of a realization and he wasn't particularly sure what he was supposed to do about it.  
  
The night that Soo Ae had called him crying he had thought someone had died. He didn't ever remember getting to her apartment so fast in his entire life. And then she cried in his arms for minutes upon end before pulling away and sitting separate from him. That's when he knew that someone hadn't died and when she finally met his eyes his heart stopped because he just _knew_ what she was going to say.  
  
And the thing of it was, that was what hurt the most. The cheating (he used the word liberally, no matter what Yoochun said; cheating usually equated sex and Soo Ae had sworn up and down that they hadn't, _I wouldn't have, Minnie, I didn't!_ ,) seemed inconsequential to Soo Ae, _his_ Soo Ae, sitting at the far side of the couch and whispering that she had fallen out of love with him.  
  
He thought that maybe he could have forgiven her if she discovered at the end of it all that she really did still love him more than anything. No scratch that. He did forgive her (because he still loved her and you forgive people that you love no matter what they do,) what he thought was that they maybe could have fixed this if she still loved him.  
  
But he hadn't talked to her. She hadn't done anything to contact him. So he just sat here and wallowed not knowing what to think or do or feel.  
  
And it was really, really hard.  
  
Changmin took a breath.  
  
"So that's how you feel."  
  
Changmin spun around, almost launching himself from the couch to find Yunho resting against a doorframe.  
  
"Y-you. Ribs. Jaejoong! What?" _Glad to see that you can properly splutter Changmin. The next step is actual sentences._  
  
"Yes, me. I can walk with broken ribs, believe it or not, and Jaejoong is sleeping. I'm not too particularly sure about the last word…what were you referring to?"  
  
"Wh-what are you doing?'  
  
"Well, I was going to the bathroom. These sorts of urges come upon people in the middle of the night. It's actually quite a common occurrence. And then I heard you talking and you sounded distressed so…" Yunho waved his hand like it would finish the sentence for him.  
  
"Wait I…I said all of that out loud?"  
  
"You had me intrigued at, 'that's what hurt the most.'"  
  
Changmin knew he had paled. "Please don't tell Jaejoong."  
  
"What could I tell him that he doesn't already know? He's pretty smart at figuring out people's emotions without them having to say anything…are you going to let me sit down so we can talk or are you going to make me go back to bed?"  
  
Changmin thought about it, "You can sit," he said, "But considering that you're sleeping with Jaejoong, I don't think I would have to _make_ you go anywhere that he is."  
  
"True," Yunho winced slightly as he slowly made his way over to the recliner and eased down upon it.  
  
"You said you could walk."  
  
"I did, I just left out _not well_."  
  
Changmin rolled his eyes. _Damn professor_.  
  
"So, why _haven't_ you told Jaejoong all of that?"  
  
"He worries too much."  
  
"He loves you," Yunho pointed out, "He tells me that at least once a day; I'm slightly jealous."  
  
"He loves too much," Changmin amended.  
  
"Do you really think that's possible?"  
  
"I want to deal with this my way."  
  
"It sounds like it's going wonderfully too."  
  
Changmin glared at the professor and made to stand, "If you aren't going to say anything useful, then I'm going back to bed."  
  
"So I'm wrong?"  
  
Why did Yunho have to be a lawyer?  
  
"Changmin, talk to me."  
  
Changmin threw a pillow across the room. "Fine. It sucks. Happy?"  
  
"Are you?"  
  
"No," Changmin hissed, "I'm depressed and I can't stop thinking about her and I cry all the time and it isn't getting better and I can't take it anymore."  
  
"So then go talk to her."  
  
"She doesn't love me anymore."  
  
"So what."  
  
Distraught, Changmin began to wring the couch cushions because he had already thrown all the pillows to other parts of the room. "So she isn't going to want to talk to me! I can't just 'go get her' or sit outside her door until she lets me in. I already had her. I…She doesn't want me. And no one will understand anyway. Everyone hates her."  
  
"They're not you."  
  
"So you're saying I should go ask the girl who dated behind my back to love me again?"  
  
"No, I'm telling you to go tell her that you can't get her off your mind and that maybe you can at least still be friends."  
  
"I don't know what I want," Changmin admitted, flailing his arms slightly, "everything we had…all those things she was bored with…they were just material. We didn't have to do the letters or talk 247 or anything. Just…just having her, even for a little while…aish, I'm not making any sense."  
  
He couldn't see anymore, hadn't really been able to for awhile, tears clouding everything. Hands pulled him close and Changmin let himself be held. It took him forever to realize that there was no way Yunho could be holding him because Yunho was not able to press people against his chest.  
  
Confused, Changmin pulled away, clearing his eyes enough to see Junsu, face patterned from sleep and hair sticking up at odd angle with tears in his eyes.  
  
"Junsu…"  
  
"You…you were yelling slightly…" Junsu explained.  
  
"I'm sorry."  
  
"You have nothing to apologize for."  
  
Junsu pulled Changmin closer and out of the corner of his eye, he saw Yunho ease himself up off the recliner and walk away, obviously feeling like his task was complete.  
  
"Minnie…Changmin if you feel like you need to talk with her…"  
  
"I just…I want to know how she is, but I'm so afraid that I'm not ready to see her. That I'll just jump her and kiss her senseless to try and fill the void she's left inside of me."  
  
Junsu placed a hand over Changmin's chest while kissing the other's forehead. "All that tough talk about wanting to love her to Yunho but now you tell me that you're scared shitless."  
  
"I…I really don't know what I've said," Changmin admitted.  
  
"So start over and explain it in two sentences."  
  
Changmin considered this before whispering, "I forgive her. I miss her. I'm scared of what that means. I'm scared of what people will think of me when then find out that I still feel for her and I'm really scared of telling her and I don't know if I should because she told me that she doesn't love me anymore so why should she care about how I feel? I just…want to make sure that she's okay. I _need_ to know that she's okay, Junsu."  
  
"I'm pretty sure that was more than two sentences but whatever. I'm not picky."  
  
"Better not let Yoochun hear that."  
  
Junsu hit Changmin playfully. "Let me do something for you, Min."  
  
"Mm."  
  
"Let me go talk to Soo Ae."  
  
Changmin stared incredulously at his friend.   
  
"Please," Junsu added, "The thing is, we all still care for her, we all want to know how she's dealing with all of this, and if she wants to talk to you then you can and if not, you save yourself lectures from Jaejoong."  
  
"Always good," Changmin asserted, letting his fingers run over Junsu's torso, wondering in the back of his mind if Yoochun did it to Junsu and if it felt different.  
  
"I'll take Yoochun with me since he can't go to class tomorrow any way until Yunho straightens all that shit out."  
  
They were silent as Changmin ran through the pros and cons in his head. By the end of it he was too tired to form any sort of rational argument either way so he went with his heart.  
  
"Alright. You can talk to her."


	15. The New Professor

  
"My head hurts," Yejin moaned, prompting Changmin to pat her on the back awkwardly.  
  
"That's a good sign, it means you're studying correctly."  
  
"I think I'd rather not study. I can't think past the throbbing, so what's the point?"  
  
"Aspirin." Changmin handed her two pills, "And then persevere through the pain because we still have half of the material to go through before the test tomorrow."  
  
"You don't have to stay if you don't want to, it's late."  
  
"Yejin, if I leave before you can at least sufficiently study this by yourself, Jaejoong is going to kill me."  
  
She sighed, "Why am I taking two of Yunho's classes? What was I thinking?"  
  
"Legal Writing and Introduction to Law are the only two classes of his that Yunho will allow anyone to take simultaneously, in fact he encourages it."  
  
Yejin let her head fall onto her arms. "I think I remember someone telling me that when I signed up."  
  
Unable to contain his curiosity, and hearing Jaejoong's whispered questions in the back of his head, Changmin asked, "Yejin, why are you studying to be a lawyer? You don't seem to be enjoying any of this at all; and you know…you'll be doing this for the rest of your life, I would think you should be liking it a bit more."  
  
After a few seconds, Yejin raised her head and smiled sadly. "I'm not enjoying it, actually."  
  
"Then…then why are you doing it?"  
  
"My family are all lawyers," Yejin said, "I…I love dance. I wanted to be a professional dancer but they refused to pay for any dance lessons or anything unless I went to law school simultaneously."  
  
"You realize how terrible that is, right?"  
  
"Well what else am I supposed to do? I get through all of this," she gestured wildly to the pile of books on the table, "while working on my dancing until I can support myself."  
  
Changmin sat back, thinking about how Jaejoong was going to respond to this news. "Yejin, I saw you dance," he said, "and you're spectacular. Have you considered just…applying to a dance school and trying to get in on scholarship alone?"  
  
"You don't understand," Yejin muttered, "My family would find out because they have their claws in everything and then…I'd rather not think about it. I just need to get through as much of this as I can so that I can graduate debt-free and then I'll be able to dance."  
  
"Yejin…"  
  
"It's fine," she said, turning back to the notebook in front of her, "I've accepted it. Now, explain this concept to me again, I'm still confused."  
  
  
  
When Changmin got back to Jaejoong's it was past midnight and Jaejoong was waiting for him with a cup of tea and food. Changmin thought himself to be in love.  
  
"It's a good thing that I like you," Changmin grumbled, dropping his bags to the floor and inhaling the food, deciding not to rush the tea, because such comforts were meant to be enjoyed slowly.  
  
"What happened?"  
  
"Besides her breaking down into tears like five times? Not much. Except," Changmin swallowed, and held up his chopsticks, forestalling Jaejoong's…outburst? Changmin wasn't sure what it was going to be. "I asked why she was studying law."  
  
"What did she say?"  
  
"She's doing it so that her parents pay for her dance because she can't afford it otherwise."  
  
Jaejoong stared at him for a second, attempting to absorb this. "Meaning…she doesn't want to be doing this?"  
  
"Not at all."  
  
"Well, that's just…" Jaejoong's face fell and Changmin didn't know if he was sad that his favorite student didn't like what she was learning or that she couldn't study what she wanted…or maybe it was both.  
  
"Go to bed," _Go to Yunho_ , Changmin replaced in his head, "Because I am," _Going to bed, not Yunho,"_ Changmin tried hard not to think about what Jaejoong would have done to him had he said that out loud, "I can't really think any more, which sucks, because I'm not even taking a test." _I really, really, need to sleep._  
  
"You could take a test if you wanted," Jaejoong was already walking towards his bedroom.  
  
"No." Changmin downed the rest of his tea, "Absolutely not."  
  
  
  
"Well that explains a lot."  
  
Yunho had been recovering wonderfully in the past few weeks and Jaejoong had (secretly, and not in front of anyone else) threatened to stop taking care of the professor so that he couldn't leave.  
  
Yunho had very helpfully pointed out that the police weren't letting any of them live separately anyway and Jaejoong promptly gave him a double dose of vitamin C, telling Yunho that he had better not be stupid and catch an infection. Yunho had chuckled into a kiss.  
  
"It's awful," Jaejoong muttered into a pillow, "and it isn't fair,"   
  
"And it isn't your place to step in," Yunho murmured.  
  
"How can you say that?" Jaejoong asked.  
  
"I say it because it's true. You cannot fix everyone's problems my dearest, and stepping into a family's affair is something that the university frowns upon. Don't misunderstand me, I think helping her is a good thing, but it sounds like there really isn't much we can do for her except offer tutoring."  
  
"But it isn't _right_."  
  
"No, it's not," Yunho stroked Jaejoong's hair, "But I think I know you pretty well, and you like to rush into things. You want to be a knight in shining armor and fix this for her, let her dance, but you can't Jaejoong. Maybe if she was in high school but she's in college; she has to learn to stand up for herself."  
  
"Why are you so logical?"  
  
"I don't really think I am. If I was a logical person I wouldn't be in this bed with you."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Because I am a teacher and you are a student and there isn't anything right about that."  
  
"I beg to differ."  
  
Yunho chuckled and pulled Jaejoong closer, happy that he had healed enough to be able to move more freely…at least mostly. "Well it's right in that I'm terribly in love with you, but if you take out our bias and look at it objectively-"  
  
"Which I won't. Why should I? This is a relationship. It's entirely subjective."  
  
"You tell me that whenever I try to talk to you about this. It's a reality, and we're going to have to deal with it sometime."  
  
"I know," the student whispered, "I just…I don't want to think about it. I don't like thinking about it."  
  
Yunho sighed, "Alright. We won't talk about it." _Yet._  
  
It had only taken Jaejoong minutes to fall asleep. Yunho stayed awake, stroking his lover's hair, falling asleep while tossing too many ideas around in his brain. He woke up to Jaejoong kissing him gently on the cheek and apologizing for his ass-like ways.  
  
"I like your ass," Yunho had managed as Jaejoong had gotten out of bed, "And yes, I know that's not what you were saying."  
  
"Best forgiveness ever given." Jaejoong had laughed on the way to the shower, and came back still giggling, doing mischievous things with his hands that made Yunho want to stay in bed.  
  
"Don't you have a test to give?"  
  
"Mm. Warm."  
  
"Very warm," Yunho agreed, wondering what on earth had come over him and why he wasn't insisting that Jaejoong leave.  
  
"Don't wanna give it. Make Changmin go."  
  
"Jaejoong you sound like Ha Neul. Come on, love, get up. It'll be unspeakably awful if you're late."  
  
Groaning loudly, Jaejoong shoved himself up and gathered his belongings that he had scattered the previous night while searching for missing keys (at least, that's what he had told Ha Neul who had chosen a very inconvenient moment to barge into the room asking for a late night glass of water.)  
  
"Show them who's master."  
  
"We've been over this master thing before," Jaejoong said, making Yunho wish that he really _could_ make Changmin or Yoochun or even Seungyon give out the damn test.  
  
"We have. And I stand by what I said before. You're spending far too much time with Yoochun."  
  
"If I remember correctly, you wouldn't let me pout the last time we talked about this."  
  
"You still cannot," Yunho replied, "Because then we would both be in big trouble. You need to leave or you really will be late."  
  
Jaejoong took a minute to thoroughly kiss his lover before walking out, leaving Yunho counting down the seconds until he came back.  
  
  
  
Yejin was the last one done and Jaejoong gave her an encouraging wink as she walked out. She smiled half heartedly at him looking utterly brain dead and he took that as a good sign.  
  
He shuffled the tests, determined not to show favoritism by immediately grading hers, and walked up to Yunho's office. He had one more class before he could go home and he had to brainstorm debate topics for the next intro to law class.  
  
He had finished two tests (Sangmi's who had managed to pull off full marks, and another boy's who predictably got 82% every single test,) when he was interrupted.  
  
"Well, look at you. You must be Yunho's pretty thing."  
  
Jaejoong looked up from tests, scowling slightly, to a man leaning against the office door frame, his long black hair pulled back into a pony tail and swung over a shoulder.  
  
"Don't glower," the man said, "you're too pretty for that."  
  
"I will glower at whomever I please," _please let that be my lawyer voice, for some reason I feel really intimidated right now,_ "who are you?"  
  
"Kim Heechul. I'm taking over for Yunho. No one told you that I was coming?"  
  
"Um, no. Are you…taking my classes?" a tinge of hope wound it's way into Jaejoong's voice, though he wasn't expecting anything.  
  
"Sorry, Yunho specifically said that I wasn't allowed to teach those classes."  
  
Jaejoong sighed. "I guess, make yourself at home then?"  
  
Heechul grinned and sashayed his way into the room, surveying it carefully. "I haven't been here for ages."  
  
One of Jaejoong's eyebrows raised in a perfect imitation of Yunho.  
  
"This was previously my office. I used to be Yunho's professor, he never mentioned me?"  
  
"Only if you're the crazy one." _Which seems to be a very likely conclusion_.  
  
Heechul cackled. "So, what are you doing? Feel like giving me a tour?"  
  
"I'm correcting tests."  
  
Heechul picked up a few of them and leafed through while Jaejoong watched, still unsure about this new professor.   
  
"Bastard," Heechul muttered, "These are my tests."  
  
"They're what?"  
  
"They're the tests I gave when I taught." Heechul plopped himself down in a chair and flipped his black pony tail behind his back, reading them carefully. "Actually, I do remember him asking me for permission to use them, though, some of these are different. Ingeniously worded, in fact."  
  
Jaejoong stared at him, still wary.  
  
"These first few answers are wrong," Heechul said, tossing the tests back, "They always get those ones wrong, it's deplorable."  
  
 _I never got those wrong,_ Jaejoong fumed silently, but he kept his mouth shut.  
  
"So, want me to help?"  
  
Jaejoong could imagine Yunho frowning disapprovingly all the way from his sister's apartment.  
  
A smirk pulled at the corner of Heechul's mouth, "I'll use the other tests as a guide if that makes you feel more secure about it…"  
  
Jaejoong pursed his lips.  
  
"I'm more than willing to entertain you with all sort of stories that you might find to be quite hilarious."  
  
"Blackmail material?" Jaejoong questioned.  
  
"Absolutely."  
  
Jaejoong handed Heechul a pen and Sangmi's test, smiling. _I'll just double-check them later, I'd have to do them anyway_. "I think you and I are going to get along wonderfully."  
  
  
  
"Where are we going?" Yoochun asked, "And why am I skipping class?"  
  
"I promised Changmin that I would check on Soo Ae weeks ago and I never did because work got really busy,"  
  
"You work at the library, Junsu."  
  
"Shut up. We got a huge shipment of books in, alright?"  
  
"Wait. Did you just say we're going to check up on Soo Ae?"  
  
Yoochun pulled on Junsu's wrist and looked at his friend incredulously.  
  
"Do you want to come or go back?" Junsu asked.  
  
"Come," Yoochun replied, grinning.  
  
"I am going to ignore the greasiness of that statement. You are incorrigible, Yoochunnie, this is a serious thing."  
  
"Sorry," Yoochun ducked his head, "I will be horny and greasy and completely lovable later."  
  
"And you're not skipping class," Junsu continued, ignoring Yoochun's comment but grasping his hand tighter by way of acknowledgement, "I thought Yunho told you to not go to class until he said otherwise."  
  
"He told me this morning."  
  
"Oh," Junsu stopped, "Well, we'll be back before then anyway. It'll be fine."  
  
"I am going to blame it entirely on you if I'm late."  
  
"Yunho loves me."  
  
"Yunho isn't the one teaching, Junsu."  
  
"I know. It'll be fine, I promise."  
  
"It had better be."  
  
Yoochun sighed and allowed himself to be dragged to Soo Ae's apartment (a place with fond memories if he did say so himself,) and waited, feeling slightly apprehensive after Junsu rang the bell.  
  
They heard a small gasp of surprise after a few minutes and an agonizingly slow sound of the door unlocking, Yoochun had to remind himself that Soo Ae was the one who had done the hurting because she looked like shit.  
  
"Can we come in?" Junsu asked quietly.  
  
Yoochun wasn't sure how it happened, but somehow he ended up holding onto a sobbing Soo Ae while Junsu whispered gently to her. Yoochun ran through the latest textbook chapter review he had memorized in his head because he was sure that if he paid attention he would end up crying and he refused to do that. Vehemently refused.  
  
He thought he heard something about missing Changmin but he decided to just ask Junsu later. It was just too much.  
  
"She does miss him," Junsu said after they left, leaving Soo Ae looking much better than when they had arrived, "But she doesn't love him. I'm going to make them talk."  
  
"Is that smart?"  
  
"I have no idea. I guess we'll find out."  
  
Yoochun was not late for his class, which turned out to be a wonderful thing. Someone else was and the new teacher (Heechul? Yoochun was jealous of how good his hair looked long,) did not even give them a chance to explain, kicking the student out before they were even all the way in the door.  
  
"You do _not_ walk in late to _my_ class. It's disrespectful and you had better be here promptly next time or you and I will have some serious relationship issues."  
  
He was insane and Yoochun loved him. Irrevocably.  
  
  
  
"So you liked him?"  
  
"Yes," Yoochun gushed, "He's brilliant. Quite possibly off his rocker and extraordinarily into himself but really, really smart."  
  
Yunho smiled and turned back to his rice, ignoring Ha Neul who was pulling on his pant leg and asking to sit on his lap.  
  
"Ha Neul go back to your seat, you know Yunho can't hold anyone right now."  
  
"He held Jaejae last night!"  
  
Jaejoong spilled the rice he was serving Sun Hea and Yunho froze.  
  
" _Jaejoong_ was helping him lay down," Yoochun said, without missing a beat, "The world does not revolve around you and what you want Ha Neul, go sit."  
  
She pouted, finally doing as she was told and Yunho sighed, noting that Yoochun now undoubtedly thought he was owed some favors. "It didn't look like _Jaejae_ was helping him," she muttered in her seat.  
  
" _Jaejoong_ ," Yunho emphasized (they had been trying to get Ha Neul to lose some of her baby speech; she had been refusing,) "was only helping me. He's very good at that, Ha Neul."  
  
Changmin was choking on his food, but Yunho ignored him.  
  
"JAEJAE."  
  
"Ha Neul," Yoochun said, and Yunho wondered why Jaejoong wasn't saying anything.  
  
"JAEJAE."  
  
"Lower your voice, sweetie," Yoochun asked, "It's rude to shout."  
  
Ha Neul screamed louder and Yunho wondered what on earth had her so upset.  
  
"Ha Neul," Jaejoong finally said and Yunho thought he sounded tired, "Please lower your voice."  
  
"No," She said, but she didn't yell.  
  
Jaejoong stood up and walked over to his niece, making room in his arms for her to snuggle, "What's wrong?"  
  
"I want omma," Ha Neul wailed, "I miss omma."  
  
Yunho was sure that his heart was breaking as he watched Jaejoong sit on the floor, Ha Neul on his lap, crying her five year old heart out.  
  
It didn't take long for Sun Hea to catch on and soon Changmin was lifting her from her high chair. Yunho looked at Seungyon.  
  
"I am not going to cry," the boy said, and cleared his plate from the table.  
  
The tears had been soothed to hiccups by the time Yoochun and Yunho had cleaned the dishes. Changmin had left to run an errand (get ice cream for the broken hearted girls no doubt, because that's what he did for them when they were missing their mother,) and Junsu was singing to Sun Hea (because that's what he did.)  
  
Yunho felt slightly useless (and very sore, bending down to the dishwasher was not a smart thing for him to do,) so he decided to lay down. He didn't realize that he had fallen asleep until he woke up, Jaejoong's weight making the bed dip slightly.  
  
"Hey."  
  
Yunho opened his eyes. Okay, not Jaejoong.  
  
"Um…I have a favor to ask."  
  
Yunho pushed himself up onto the pillows and watched Changmin take a few deep breaths before speaking.  
  
"I…I have something that I need you to return for me."  
  
"Okay…"  
  
He couldn't help himself. Yunho felt a tear escape the corner of his eye when Changmin handed him what was obviously an engagement ring. "Changmin…"  
  
"I…Junsu talked to her today. He said she looked awful and that she said she missed me but…she still doesn't love me. I was…just holding onto that…hoping…I need to let it go," he whispered. "Please don't tell anyone."  
  
"Minnie…"  
  
Later that night, Jaejoong didn't ask why Changmin was curled into sheets, face obviously streaked with too many tears. He just slid himself in between Yunho and Changmin and let his lover stroke the fatigue from his face long enough to whisper I love you before falling asleep.  
  
  
  
The next morning, no one in the house was up before ten. Jaejoong darted out of bed because he had to pee desperately, and Yunho woke up to Jaejoong kissing his cheek…again. He could see it becoming a wonderful tradition. Changmin was awakened by Jaejoong telling him that if he didn't get out of the bed in five minutes, he was going to see things that would be forever burned in his brain. Junsu was roused by Changmin yelling in the hallway and Yoochun opened his eyes to Junsu trailing kisses down his chest; neither of them left their bed for awhile.  
  
Yunho had to kick Jaejoong out again and he left pouting, Yunho's mouth completely occupying his mind.  
  
"Tell Heechul I found that article," Yoochun spoke around a spoonful of…something…as Jaejoong walked out the door.  
  
  
  
"Did he really?"  
  
"That's what he said," Jaejoong looked up from Yejin's test. He could already see improvements and it was incredibly heartening.  
  
"Excellent," Heechul promptly tossed his notes into a trash can and began all over again.   
  
"Haven't you been working on those all morning?"  
  
"If he found the article, than it calls for new lecture notes," Heechul said, and Jaejoong decided that he was better off not asking.  
  
After an hour of silence, Heechul suddenly looked up and said, "I'm really going to have to change the color of these walls, I can't believe that Yunho painted them white. He probably wanted to cover up bad memories."  
  
"What color did you have them?" Jaejoong asked.  
  
"Red," Heechul answered immediately, "I've always wanted to dye my hair that color; I'll think I'll do that for the fall semester."  
  
"You're staying in the fall?" Jaejoong asked, not sure if he liked that idea.  
  
Heechul chuckled, flipping his hair, "That's what would be implied when I said that I was taking over for Yunho, isn't it?"  
  
"I…wait." Jaejoong felt something akin to anger simmer in his brain, which was strange, because he'd never really been angry at Yunho. "Taking over as in…Yunho isn't going to be here at all?"  
  
Heechul's gum popped as the man paused in his movements with a deer caught in the headlights expression. "He didn't tell you?"  
  
Yup. Definitely anger. "No," Jaejoong said, "He forgot to mention that."  
  
"Oh. Well…he's not coming back to teach." Heechul bit his lip, wincing, "I probably should have kept my mouth shut. He's going to kill me."  
  
"Not if I kill him first," Jaejoong set his pencil down decisively, deciding that correcting tests did not take precedence over talking to Yunho. Now.  
  
"You have class in an hour and a half," Heechul reminded Jaejoong, looking desperate.  
  
"Just enough time for me to go home and murder him. And if you contact him in any way to warn him that I'm coming, you will regret it for the rest of your life."  
  
"My lips are sealed," Heechul said and Jaejoong would have liked to tell himself that the former professor's scared look was completely due to him.


	16. Worst Day Ever

Yoochun looked up curiously from making lunch when he heard the front door slam. He swallowed nervously as Jaejoong stormed in, positively reeking of anger.  
  
"Where's Yunho?" Jaejoong asked in his terribly cold lawyer voice, making Ha Neul whimper quietly from her place at Yoochun's feet. She was no doubt remembering the one time that voice had been directed at her (Yoochun thought that it had been somewhat related to something she had done to Sun Hea but he couldn't quite remember.)  
  
"Nap," Yoochun managed, wondering what had his friend all riled up, "Bedroom."  
  
Jaejoong narrowed his eyes together and walked towards his room.  
  
"Yunho's in trouble?"  
  
"I believe so," Yoochun wasn't even aware of what he was stirring anymore.  
  
"Will Jaejae make him sit on the stairs?" She made it sound like Yunho being sent to the time out area was the worst possible thing ever.  
  
"I don't know, sweetie, something tells me that time out isn't going to cut it."  
  
"What did he do?" Ha Neul asked, awed.  
  
Yoochun's belly clinched slightly as he heard voices raising from the bedroom, "I don't know…let's go for a walk, alright? Give them some privacy."  
  
Ha Neul nodded and Yoochun went to collect the other two kids. They were out of the apartment in record time.

\--  
  
Yunho looked up from his writing as Jaejoong did not bother to walk into the room quietly, slamming the door behind him.  
  
"Is everything okay?" Yunho asked, thinking _What are you doing back? Don't you have class? Why do you look so upset?_ He didn't say it because Jaejoong looked ready to pound something into a bloody pulp. Yunho hoped that thing wasn't going to be him.  
  
"Everything is not okay," Jaejoong replied levelly, arms crossed, glaring accusingly as his boyfriend.  
  
Yunho swallowed realizing that it _was_ quite possible that he was the something that Jaejoong intended to pulverize. He wondered how many kisses it would take to calm the other man down. The professor set his pen down, brain racing.  
  
"I was just talking to Heechul," Jaejoong's hand was shaking. Yunho reached out to grab it, concerned, but Jaejoong jerked away. Shocked, and slightly upset if he was going to be honest with himself, Yunho met Jaejoong's eyes and found himself staring into fear, anger, and immense hurt. He was sure that his mind made a clicking sound as he finally realized what Heechul had let slip.  
  
"Jaejoong," he tried to placate, but Jaejoong's face made him stop.  
  
" _How could you not tell me something so important?_ "   
  
Each word was stressed just so, the sentence said slowly and carefully. Yunho felt himself put up his lawyer defenses, even though he knew that it was a bad idea. "I was going to tell you."  
  
"Don't you dare use that professor voice with me, Jung Yunho; I'm livid and you owe me one fucking good explanation, not some cop out gibberish."  
  
Yunho felt his mouth go dry. "I'm not trying to give you gibberish."  
  
"Then please explain to me why Heechul said that he was taking over for you…as in you're not coming back at all taking over."  
  
"I resigned," Yunho said, scared for his life as Jaejoong took a few calming breaths, no doubt counting to some predetermined number in his head.  
  
"And you did that without telling me?"  
  
"I was going to tell you."  
  
" _When_?"  
  
"Um…well…I tried the other day but you said you didn't want to talk about it."  
  
"Bull. Shit. You could have specifically specified the topic of conversation; told me it was kind of important and made me listen!"  
  
Yunho wasn't sure how he could tell Jaejoong that he didn't know how to say no (or in this case, yes) when confronted with Jaejoong's pout and so he elected to say nothing.  
  
"And you obviously agree with me because you aren't saying anything!"  
  
Jaejoong was right, of course, he could have said something. A lot sooner. Yunho had just been trying to figure out a way to tell Jaejoong because it was guaranteed that the man wouldn't take it well…which he wasn't.  
  
"Will you listen to me now?"  
  
"No," Jaejoong spit out, "I will not listen and you will not talk."  
  
"But-" Yunho stopped at Jaejoong's glare.  
  
"I'm upset and hurt," Jaejoong said, "and the fact of the matter is, I'm mad because you didn't see fit to tell me anything, not one damn thing."  
  
"I'm sorry," Yunho tried.  
  
"That does nothing!" Jaejoong was screaming.  
  
"What else do you want me to do if you won't listen to me, Jaejoong?"  
  
"I don't know, Yunho, I really don't. So I'm going to be mad and you're going to feel terrible."  
  
 _I already do_. "Wait," Yunho's brain finally caught with what Jaejoong had said a few thoughts back, "So…you're not mad at me because I resigned?"  
  
"I…" The anger faulted for a moment and Yunho relaxed a little bit. "I don't know. That depends on what you say to me when I get back."  
  
"Let me call Heechul," Yunho entreated, "He can cover the class, just stay and listen to me, please Jaejoong-ah."  
  
"I don't want to listen to you. Not right now. I just want to be mad."  
  
He turned around and began to walk out of the room.  
  
"So you'll listen to me when you get back?"  
  
Jaejoong slammed the bedroom door shut and Yunho desperately hoped that meant yes.  
  
  
  
Jaejoong was only half surprised when Heechul made a rather grand entrance into the classroom, stopping Seunghyun from beginning his speech concerning the merits of cordless phones (verses ones with cords.)   
  
"Don't let my awesomeness distract you," Heechul grinned and slid into a seat off the side of the room, "I just want to watch. The grapevine is that the arguments are to die for."  
  
A few people started to whisper and Jaejoong said, "This is Heechul for those of you who don't know him. He's teaching Yunho's upper classes."  
  
"I'm offended," Heechul said at the large number of people who nodded in respect, "How could you _not_ know of me?"  
  
"You would have thought they would have noticed the length of your hair."  
  
Jaejoong frowned at Sangmi and Heechul turned around to glare at her. "I'll thank you to leave my hair out of your attitude. It already has mine, so why would it need yours?"  
  
Sangmi blinked.  
  
"Your time starts now," Jaejoong spoke to Seunghyun and the boy needed no further urging.  
  
Jaejoong tried not to think about the mess waiting for him at home and focus on wireless phones and cords and heath hazards.   
  
He failed.  
  
By the time Seunghyun had finished, Jaejoong had no idea what he had said, and when Seunghyun's opponent went, Jaejoong tried to focus even more but he just couldn't.  
  
"I think Heechul should decide," Jaejoong said when the class looked to him for a ruling.  
  
Heechul grinned like he knew exactly what Jaejoong was doing but he dutifully named Seunghyun winner. Jaejoong was ecstatic; that meant that the finals would be between Seunghyun's team and Yejin's. He meant to drag Yunho's ass in so that the professor could watch it. It promised to be a spectacular verbal display of fireworks.  
  
Yunho. Jaejoong found himself getting angry again. Maybe he wouldn't share the final argument with Yunho, just to spite him. Why would he care anyway if he isn't going to be teaching them?  
  
The students were staring at him again.  
  
"Um…that means that the final with be between Seunghyun and Yejin. I'm going to give you a legitimate case next class and you can spend up until the class after preparing. I will be dragging Yunho's ass here to listen and he'll be the final say. Heechul will probably show up," Heechul nodded, "and maybe some other law faculty and other students. I've spoken with Yunho and the group that wins this is exempt from the final," members of both groups whooped joyfully, "and the second group, you will receive extra points, so congratulations, you're both winners. Speaking of which, I suggest you start studying for the final. I'll have a general outline to help you next class. And please read the next two chapters. They're terribly important and if next class I start asking questions and you aren't giving me answers, there _will_ be a long, convoluted quiz that no one will enjoy, least of all me."  
  
There were nervous whispers.  
  
"Questions? Excellent." Jaejoong didn't wait for anyone to raise hands. "I'll be up in Yunho's office if you need clarification. Have a good day."  
  
It was unprecedented. A Jung Yunho class ending twenty minutes early. It took a minute for the students to realize that they were being dismissed. Jaejoong had already gathered his papers and was walking out the door before the students were bolting, books balanced in their arms, yelling about Christmas coming early.  
  
Heechul had followed Jaejoong, waiting until they were in Yunho's office before saying, "He's rubbing off on you. That was some threat. Positively beautiful."  
  
"I think you're the only one who found it beautiful. I should have kept my mouth shut, I don't have time to grade another round of quizzes."  
  
Heechul chuckled, flopping down on the other side of the desk and pulling papers of his own onto his lap. "We both know that you're not Yunho yet; you have yet to let the dark side of teaching smother your brain."  
  
"What does that mean?"  
  
"It's means that you won't give the quiz."  
  
"I won't?"  
  
Heechul pointed to the piles of papers that Jaejoong had yet to correct. "So you _want_ to add to that pile?"  
  
Jaejoong sighed.  
  
Heechul grabbed a pen and began to mark his papers, muttering to himself about the incompetence of his students ("seriously, what has Yunho been doing? Except Yoochun, Jaejoong…I find him so stimulating,") when both of them were interrupted by a soft knock on the door.  
  
At Jaejoong's acknowledgement, the door opened and Yejin popped her head in before allowing her body to follow.  
  
"How lucky," Jaejoong smiled, "I've been meaning to find you."  
  
She smiled half-heartedly, nodding politely to Heechul, shuffling her feet as she shut the door behind her.  
  
"Is something the matter?" Heechul asked, "There is a dark cloud hanging over your head. Get whatever it is off your chest before that cloud bursts and ruins my hair."  
  
"Can…can we talk?"   
  
"Of course," Jaejoong followed her furtive glance, "Heechul can leave if you would like."  
  
"It's fine. You seem like a…an honest person."  
  
Heechul smirked ( _actually, he's too honest_ , Jaejoong thought) and the new professor stood, giving his chair to Yejin before hoisting himself up onto Yunho's desk. It was perhaps the most gentlemanly thing Jaejoong had seen Heechul do.  
  
"What's this about?"  
  
"My…my cousin."  
  
"Sangmi," Jaejoong said, as Heechul shot him a questioning look.  
  
"The one who didn't appreciate my hair? I didn't like her very much."  
  
"She cheated on the last test."  
  
The words were spoken so softly, Jaejoong thought he might have missed him.  
  
"Yejin how…are you sure? That's not something that you should-"  
  
"I'm positive," she whispered, staring and her hands then meeting both pairs of eyes, "I saw her writing out notes before class and then I saw her slide them down to her feet and read them from where she was sitting. She was even turning pages with her feet."  
  
Heechul's jaw was flexing angrily.  
  
"I'm not…I'm not just tattling because I don't like her much, it just made me so upset. Because I worked so hard. I know that I'm not that smart, but I busted my ass, I really did. I wanted to do well and Changmin did so much for me, and I'm so thankful. I felt so _good_ afterwards, but I just…I couldn't let it go. I was so frustrated that someone like her, who doesn't have a disability didn't even _try_. I hate stirring up trouble…I really do-"  
  
"You aren't stirring up trouble," Heechul said fiercely, arms folded, his foot tapping angrily and Jaejoong nodded in agreement.  
  
"I am though. My family…my family would be so ashamed of me."  
  
"Yejin," Heechul snored, beginning to pace the room, "No offense, but you think too highly of your family. I remember your brother. Taught him one of the first years I was here; he was stuck up and self serving and the things I could tell you about him…anyway. The point is, your family should be happy that you're speaking out, that you've tried your best."  
  
"My best isn't good enough for them," Yejin mumbled, looking at the floor again, and Jaejoong handed her some tissues.   
  
"That is ridiculous."  
  
"Heechul," Jaejoong spoke softly, with a slight warning edge to his voice. Heechul sat back on the desk as Jaejoong knealt beside his favorite student. "Yejin, you've done a very admirable thing, the right thing, by telling us, you know that, right?"  
  
"You can't say anything about me, Jaejoong-ssi, please. You can't tell her that I was the one who told you."  
  
"I won't," Jaejoong promised and he whacked Heechul's leg.  
  
"I won't either," Heechul added belatedly and Yejin let out a relieved giggle as Heechul glared at Jaejoong. "I _was_ paying attention, you know."  
  
"I know. But look," Jaejoong patted the top of Yejin's head, "she smiling. That's so worth dealing with your drama."  
  
"I'm telling Yunho."  
  
"Go right ahead. He's too busy trying to placate me; he won't bring it up."  
  
"You mean he's too busy trying to kiss everything better? Does he miss the warm body in his bed? Oh wait, it's your bed he's staying in, right? Are you going to kick him back out on the recliner tonight?"  
  
An awkward sniff from Yejin as she looked between the men was the only sound in the room. "So," she said carefully, "You're like…with Yunho?"  
  
"Fuck." Heechul said.  
  
"You are."  
  
"Do you _not_ have a filter?" Jaejoong asked irritably, wondering what else could go wrong that day.  
  
"You _are_. I so totally called it."  
  
Both teachers turned to stare at her.  
  
"I won't tell, I promise," Yejin crossed her heart and then held up a pinky finger.  
  
"Look, Yejin," Jaejoong started, "Yes I'm with Yunho but…"  
  
"I get it," Yejin said, "your work is strictly professional. I said I won't tell. Want to know how I figured it out? Besides the fact that you stare dreamily at him as he lectures?" Jaejoong was sure he had never heard Yejin talk so fast or excitedly in all the time he had known her, "I was noticing a belt he had one day and then the next class, you were wearing it!"   
  
Heechul was snickering into his hand and Jaejoong knew that he was blushing, "And then I started to pay attention and sometimes you'd wear a shirt that he was wearing a few class periods ago. Oh…" She smiled, "And I saw you holding hands at the dance recital. It was cute."  
  
"Fuck," Heechul said again, "She has you."  
  
"Yejin, you really can't say anything."  
  
"I don't want to lose my two favorite teachers in the school."  
  
 _You are, actually, but I don't want to think about that._ Jaejoong smiled. "Okay. I guess we both have secrets we need to keep."   
  
Yejin grinned. "So, can I talk to Changmin about it? Does he know?"  
  
Jaejoong immediately regretted introducing both of them. Why had he done that? Stupid.  
  
"You may," Heechul answered.  
  
"I hate you," Jaejoong groaned.  
  
Yejin was laughing.  
  
"I like you," Heechul stated, "Anytime you need a distraction from that family of yours, you can come and visit me."  
  
"I'll remember that."  
  
"Shit," Jaejoong lifted his head from the desk, "I have to go pick up some stuff from his apartment."  
  
He stood, gathering things into a bag to correct at home.  
  
"What's that look for?"  
  
Jaejoong looked up at Heechul's question. Yejin's face had frozen in fear. "I really shouldn't…this is another thing you didn't hear from me, but you shouldn't go to his apartment."  
  
"What?" Heechul asked, "What does that mean?"  
  
"Just don't," Yejin said, "But I really didn't say that."  
  
Jaejoong stared at her with his mouth open. "Bye, Professor."  
  
"Yejin!"  
  
And then she was gone and Jaejoong had no idea what had just happened.  
  
"So," Heechul had hopped off the desk, "Can I come with you?"

 

\--

 

Jaejoong had never been so nervous in his whole life. "I don't even know why I'm shaking. What the hell. Yejin. Oh my god. Yunho."  
  
"You're exploding with random words. Stop."  
  
"Sorry."  
  
There wasn't anything particularly out of order walking up to Yunho's apartment building. Jaejong was even expecting the police car lurking outside the door. Heechul waved cheerily to them.  
  
"Subtle."  
  
"Are we trying to be subtle? You need to inform me of these things."  
  
"Never mind."  
  
Jaejoong walked into the building and rode the elevator up (ignoring Heechul's prattle about the horrible color scheme.) Opening the door to the apartment ("Maybe the door is rigged with a bomb!" "Don't be dramatic, Heechul." "I can't help it; it's my nature") and stopped in the doorway, his jaw dropping.  
  
"What. A. Mess." Heechul annunciated, "There is no way Yunho's such a slob."  
  
Jaejoong ignored the attempted humor and walked carefully through the apartment. Yunho's dishes and glassware were all smashed, knick knacks thrown everywhere, ripped fabric and pillow stuffing thrown everywhere.  
  
"Well shit," Heechul cursed, and reached out to catch Jaejoong as he tripped over pieces of a chair…at least, it might have been a chair, it was hard to tell.  
  
"They didn't leave anything untouched," Jaejoong whispered, "They even scratched the granite countertops."  
  
"The question is what did they _take_?" Heechul muttered, finally flipping out his phone and dialing the emergency line.  
  
In the bathroom, tiles were pulled form the walls and threats pertaining to Yunho's family and friends were spray-painted on the cracked mirrors and ripped shower curtains. The refrigerator and freezer doors were wide open; Jaejoong could smell the rot from the hallway.  
  
Heechul toed a lump of something that had fallen out. "Yuck."  
  
The two officers who had been sitting outside the apartment building bumbled their way through the door and Heechul turned around, giving them his best _I practiced in front of a mirror and do it better than you_ smirk.  
  
"I'm glad to see that the two of you are doing your job _so_ well," he said and Jaejoong wondered how the professor said it with a straight face.  
  
"I…we didn't see anyone come in." The officer looked at Heechul suspiciously.  
  
"If you even think about suggesting that it was us, I will get you fired before you can even fill out the paperwork for our arrests," Heechul spat, "There is no way we could have done this in such a short amount of time."  
  
The officer remained silent.  
  
Jaejoong let Heechul do the talking. The TA wandered around the apartment some more, trying to remember what Yunho had on the walls and attempting to deduce if anything had been taken.  
  
Finally giving up, Jaejoong called Yunho's cell phone. When he didn't answer, Jaejoong called Yoochun and then Junsu (neither of whom picked up,) and then he finally reached Changmin who said that the professor had gone to a doctor's appointment. The officer (who turned out to be very kind,) assured Jaejoong that someone would meet Yunho there and escort him home.  
  
Leaving Heechul to the mess, Jaejoong decided to go back the apartment (the officer drove him, respectfully remaining quiet as Jaejoong stared out the window.)  
  
When he got back to the apartment, the household was in utter chaos. Jaejoong wondered why kids were always naughty in conjunction with each other. His nieces and nephews had been angels for the past few weeks; the last thing he wanted was chaos. But life apparently hated him right now and decided that everything should go wrong.  
  
Changmin looked ready to throw something.  
  
"Why is it so loud?"  
  
"Seungyon has a friend over. Remember this? You said yes this morning."  
  
"Oh…right…"  
  
"Ha Neul!" Changmin spun at the sound of a shriek and stopped the five year old mid streak down the hall way. "I did _not_ give you permission to get up from the stairs."  
  
Ha Neul opened her mouth and Jaejoong decided that he wasn't going to wait for them to argue it out. He bent and picked Ha Neul up, depositing her back in time out. He didn't really want to know why Changmin had made her sit there, so he didn't ask.  
  
Jaejoong started pulling pots and pans out, not really realizing that he wasn't making anything in particular until Changmin asked, "What…are you making…with all of that?"  
  
Jaejoong looked down, confused. "I…don't know."  
  
Sun Hea chose to toddle into the kitchen at that point and Jaejoong's mouth dropped. She was covered in something gooey and orange and was about to lick it from her hand. Jaejoong and Changmin both dove for her.  
  
"Sun Hea-"  
  
"Don't-"  
  
"What is-"  
  
"Eat that you could-"  
  
Sun Hea started to cry.  
  
"Honey, what happened, how did you get all…orange?" Changmin asked.  
  
"Soongie."  
  
Jaejoong's teeth ground as he tentatively sniffed the concoction. "Did you eat any of this, Sun Hea?" It smelled citrusy and sweet. Jaejoong decided after a moment of thought that it was the orange Jell-O mix he had bought, just…gooey. He tentatively licked some of it. His tongue protested the sweetness. Seungyon must have mixed it with sugar and water.  
  
She nodded, sniffing, "Feel funny."  
  
Yay oncoming sugar high, Jaejoong thought sarcastically as he heard Changmin groan. "Give her some water," Jaejoong directed.  
  
Jaejoong walked out of the kitchen, told Ha Neul that no, she could not get up yet, and trudged upstairs, perusing the rooms until he found Seungyon and his friend in Yoochun's room.  
  
"What. Is. This."  
  
Seungyon paused, his hand held up, orange Jell-O mix dripping from it. His friend had Yoochun's chair propped up and was hiding behind it. The goo was everywhere, a little had even managed, Jaejoong noted with dismay, to land on Yoochun's notes.  
  
"Alien blood," Seungyon's friend said.  
  
" _What?"_ "  
  
"Um…" Seungyon lowered his hand. "We're battling."  
  
"And you've both just died," Jaejoong informed them, "Downstairs, right now, in the bathroom. Clean yourselves up. Move."  
  
They did.  
  
Jaejoong decided that he didn't really care anymore that he was mad at Yunho. He just wanted a hug, wanted someone else to fix the mess.  
  
He tripped on the bottom step, only vaguely registering Changmin telling Ha Neul that she could leave the stairs if she promised to be docile. Jaejoong was sure that docile was a word that would escape her vocabulary, but he ignored it and made for the bathroom, his arms full of clothing for the two boys.  
  
"Change into those, and then you," he pointed to Seungyon's friend whose name he couldn't remember, "Will be going home after I speak with your parents. And you," Jaejoong pointed to Seungyon, "will start cleaning Yoochun's room until we can sit down and discuss exactly how you are going to make up for this. And you will not," Jaejoong cut off his nephew, "offer any excuses as to why you thought it might be alright for you to throw sugary orange goo around the apartment, never mind someone's room."  
  
"My…my appa is on a date," the boy stuttered and he looked petrified at the thought of someone calling his father in the middle of a night out on the town.  
  
"Well, you will just have to interrupt that won't you?" Jaejoong said, "Did you write his number on the board?" It was something Jaejoong requested all visiting friends to do, in case of emergencies. Even if he didn't remember the kid, Jaejoong knew someone would have said to write it down.  
  
The boy nodded.  
  
"I will be right back. You had better both be upstairs and cleaning when I come to find you."  
  
Jaejoong turned around and walked back to the kitchen were Changmin was cleaning Sun Hea off. Jaejoong's hand hit the counter and he cursed quietly, cradling his injured digits.  
  
"You're not allowed to cook tonight, hyung," Changmin said, "I'm going to order out."  
  
They seemed to be doing that a lot lately, Jaejoong mused, but he didn't say anything.   
  
The number was scrawled out in Seungyon's terrible chicken scratch with _Chansook's appa_ written next to it. Oh right, Jaejoong remembered. Chansook.  
  
"Changmin, what's Chansook's father's name?"  
  
"Erm…I don't know. Sorry. His family name is Kim, though, that might be useful."  
  
Jaejoong sighed.  
  
He picked up the phone and dialed the number, sighing resignedly as Sun Hea started to giggle uncontrollably as Changmin wiped her face.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
Jaejoong tried to place the voice. It sounded terribly familiar.  
  
"Kim-ssi?" He asked.  
  
"No, this is Leeteuk."  
  
 _Oh._  
  
"Who is this?"  
  
"Jaejoong."  
  
"Jaejoong?" He could picture the pediatrician trying to place the name. "Yunho's Jaejoong?"  
  
Jaejoong really wanted a hug.  
  
"Yes. I'm…sorry to call you. Is…Chansook your son?"  
  
"No, he's Kangin's. Is something the matter?"  
  
"I don't usually call like this but I was hoping that someone could come pick him up."  
  
There was silence for a moment and then Jaejoong realized that he had been on speaker phone. "What did he do?" A voice growled.   
  
Jaejoong assumed that this was Kim…Kangin?  
  
"Youngwoon," Leeteuk's voice came gently but sternly.   
  
Kim Youngwoon then? Jaejoong decided not to think to hard about it. He just related the tale of orange goo in full and received fervent apologies and a promise to come pick the boy up.  
  
"Tell him to clean," Kangin said, after Jaejoong had given him directions, "we're only five minutes away, but he'll do his share, I promise."  
  
"Oh trust me, he's already doing so. When you get here you'll probably be stopped at the door by some police officers, just give them your names and you'll be fine."  
  
"Officers?" Leeteuk's voice asked.  
  
"Don't ask."  
  
"Okay."  
  
Jaejoong was proud of himself for remembering this last detail. After hanging up the phone, and thanking his lucky stars that Chansook's appa was someone he knew (or at least someone that knew someone that he knew,) Jaejoong gave the officer standing outside their door a head's up on the company and their names.  
  
Changmin had taken control of the bathroom, washing Sun Hea in the bathtub, somehow managing to keep her still enough to clean.  
  
"Hyung, are you okay?" Changmin asked.  
  
"Not really," Jaejoong answered, absentmindedly patting the top of Ha Neul's head who was sitting on the covered toilet, calmly watching (and seemingly fascinated with) the orange goo. Maybe she did know what docile meant.  
  
"Do you need anything?"  
  
 _Yunho_ , Jajeoong thought, but he shook his head. "Just watch these two."  
  
He grabbed some cleaning supplies and headed upstairs. He wasn't particularly surprised when he stubbed his toe, causing cleaner to spill on the stairs. Great. Just perfect.   
  
The goo had begun to harden and after relaying Kangin's message of "Clean until I get there," Jaejoong immediately went to salvage what he could of Yoochun's notes. His friend was going to be furious.  
  
"What the hell?"  
  
Speak of the devil.  
  
Yoochun and Junsu were standing in the doorway. "Why was a there a police officer checking ids at the door? Why is there no dinner? And what the hell is all over my room?"  
  
"I'll tell you the first two later. But I'm sure Seungyon would be more than pleased to explain your last question."  
  
Yoochun rounded on both boys who stood uncertainly, goo dripping from their hands as they tried to clean. "Um…sorry?"  
  
"I'll repeat myself. What the hell is all over my room?"  
  
"Jell-O…and sugar," Seungyon said.  
  
"I've already yelled, Yoochun."  
  
Yoochun looked like he was ready to throw Seungyon out the window. Junsu somehow managed to stay calm and he walked into the room fussing, whacking Seungyon's head soundly as he passed. "Well, aren't you two boys going to be cleaning for awhile."  
  
The boys in question nodded vigorously, immediately moving to help Junsu strip the bed when he beckoned them over.  
  
"Yoochun, come and save your notes."  
  
"My _notes_ ," Yoochun groaned, "My…my computer! You _will_ , somehow, pay me for all of this; I just bought that!"  
  
"Clean now before it hardens. We can discuss punishment later."  
  
Yoochun growled and complained and threatened Seungyon as he threw out pages of now useless notes. "I have to study tonight, I cannot believe this!"  
  
The doorbell rang and Jaejoong held back Chansook as he tried to bolt. "Stay here. I'm bringing them up."  
  
"Could…could I just go down?"  
  
"No. You will clean."  
  
Jaejoong tripped again going down the stairs, only just managing to catch himself from splitting his head open on the railing.   
  
Changmin had a clean Sun Hea in his arms, answering the door.  
  
"Teukie!" Sun Hea screamed, and Jaejoong winced. Damn sugar.  
  
"Hi, Sun Hea…hi Jaejoong."  
  
Jaejoong smiled at Leeteuk and then let his gaze slide to the man behind him, "You must be…Youngwoon?"  
  
The man nodded, "Kangin is fine. I'm sorry my son caused all this trouble."  
  
"I'm sure Seungyon was the mastermind."  
  
"Actually," Kaning said, "Chansook has done the goo thing before. I told him he wasn't allowed to ever make it again but apparently a week of no TV didn't really send a message."  
  
"Ah…"  
  
"Where is he?"  
  
"Upstairs."  
  
Jaejoong led them up to the second floor, cursing quietly as he stubbed his toe (again, making him want to collapse in utter frustration,) and ushered them down the hall to Yoochun's room. He wondered if the silent glare Chansook got from both Kangin and Leeteuk resembled his own.  
  
"Apologize," Kangin said immediately, and Chansook mumbled one. "Properly," he added.   
  
The boy said it louder this time. Jaejoong looked at Yoochun who only nodded, too caught up in saving his belongings to really care at the moment.  
  
"We'll be back," Kangin said, "Once we've talked. He can apologize and assume responsibility when everything's sorted out."  
  
Jaejoong whacked his arm on the way out and he felt tears sting his eyes, even though it really didn't hurt. Seriously, where the hell was Yunho?  
  
"You look a little haggard," Leeteuk said gently as they walked down the stairs.   
  
Jaejoong was resigned to his fate as he tripped, wondering how many more times he had to walk up and down the stairs that night and if he would continue to fall over his feet.  
  
"Actually, I really think you should sit down for awhile." Leeteuk caught him, "Kangin, wait a minute."  
  
Jaejoong allowed himself to be led to the table. "Sit. Rest."  
  
"It's officially the worst day of my life," Jaejoong muttered.  
  
"I have those all the time," Leeteuk said. "Kangin, why don't you leave, Jaejoong seems to be in need of help."  
  
"Yunho will be here," Jaejoong murmured into his arms, "You can go."  
  
"Are you sure? I don't mind staying and cleaning…or whatever you need."  
  
"It's fine," Jaejoong murmured, "you have your own issues to deal with."  
  
"Kangin does," Leeteuk threw a look to Kangin who was standing by the door, a hand on Chansook's shoulder, "I'm just the date, tonight."  
  
Belatedly, Jaejoong wondered about their exact relationship.  
  
"If you're sure…we'll have to have coffee sometime, alright?"  
  
Jaejoong nodded.  
  
"And seriously, just sit here for a minute. Doctor's orders."  
  
"Okay. Thanks."  
  
Jaejoong's cell phone rang and he felt a wave of relief wash over him as Yunho's name appeared on the screen.  
  
"Talk to you later," Leeteuk said, a knowing smile cropping up on his lips, and he left with Kangin and Chansook.  
  
"Did you call me?" Yunho's voice sounded like heaven; Jaejoong broke down crying. "What's wrong? Is everyone okay?"  
  
"Just...please get here." Jaejoong managed.  
  
"I'm ten minutes away. I'll drive fast."  
  
Jaejoong focused on breathing and not making loud noises that might freak Ha Neul out who was sitting in the living room.  
  
"Where have you been?" Jaejoong asked.  
  
"My apartment. I had an officer come to escort me after my doctor's appointment. I went to inventory. I'm sorry you were the first one to see that mess, Jaejoong."  
  
"I'm just glad that you aren't dead."  
  
"What on earth is wrong?"  
  
"Worst day ever, that's what's wrong."  
  
"I'll be there soon, okay? Just breathe."  
  
 _I'm trying_.  
  
"Okay."  
  
Jaejoong decided that he was just going to sit there until Yunho got back. Yunho must have sped (very fast, possibly the criminal sort of speeding,) because it was considerably less than ten minutes when he walked through the door and whispered sweet comforts into Jaejoong's ear whilst the younger sobbed.  
  
"What do you need me to do?" Yunho asked once Jaejoong had quieted.  
  
"Order food. And then maybe help Yoochun study, because he lost like 95% of his notes and has no computer."  
  
"I can do that."  
  
"Thank you."  
  
"So…can I ask you if you're still mad at me or is that a bad thing to do right now?"  
  
Jaejoong considered this for a moment. "I guess I'm not really that upset anymore, but that's only because of all the crap that happened."  
  
"So maybe tonight you'll listen to me?"  
  
Jaejoong just kissed Yunho's cheek and went back upstairs to help Yoochun throw out more of his notes.  
  
  
  
Jaejoong was pleased that the day didn't get any worse. Of course, it didn't get any better (he kept tripping and whacking himself,) but Yunho was there to catch him and kiss his trembling chin so Jaejoong barely noticed.  
  
Yoochun was hardly civil to Seungyon, but no one blamed him. "I swear to God, Seungyon, if you weren't ten, I would call your mother and get permission to pull you over my knee right here and now." Seungyon kept his bottom pointing away from Yoochun when they were in the same vicinity from then on.  
  
Sun Hea had one hell of a sugar high, and then when she crashed, Changmin spent a good hour rocking her to sleep, making sure that her tears were all gone. Junsu kept Ha Neul occupied with dolls and coloring and Jaejoong spent the night cleaning Yoochun's room, listening to Yunho quiz and drill Yoochun like his life depended upon it. Which technically it did, because failing a test wouldn't look so good on a resume.  
  
Jaejoong didn't know what he would have done if he hadn't had so much help.  
  
No one went to bed early. Yoochun crashed on the couch and Junsu slept on the floor next to him, refusing to go back to his dorm room for the night. ("I didn't know you still had a dorm room" "It's because I'm working at the library" "You're working at the library?" "Oh, is that Jaejoong waiting for you? Good night, Yunho.")  
  
Jaejoong poured his heart out when he was safely held in Yunho's arms, the door securely locked with promises from Changmin to keep an ear on the kids for the night.  
  
"Sangmi's cheating as in… _cheating_?"  
  
"What other kind of cheating is there?"  
  
"I've…never had a cheater in one of my classes…that I know of, anyway. Though if there was any student who I'd peg as a cheater, it would be her."  
  
"She probably only thought she could get away with it because you weren't there."  
  
"Most likely. I'll speak with her about it, you don't have to."  
  
"Oh I want to. I've just been waiting to take a crack at her."  
  
Yunho chuckled and kissed Jaejoong's forehead, "I know you have."  
  
Jaejoong thought Yunho took the news of Yejin knowing that they were dating relatively well.   
  
"How much do you think she knew about your apartment? I can't get her warning out of my head."  
  
"I don't know. We're going to talk to her about it, though."  
  
"Thoroughly," Jaejoong muttered.  
  
"And I'm really going to have to duck tape Heechul's mouth," Yunho spat bitterly, "he talks too much."  
  
This statement caused both of them to pause as they remembered the first secret that Heechul had divulged.  
  
"Can I talk?" Yunho asked, and Jaejoong fisted the blankets, nodding. "Don't yell."  
  
"I've had enough yelling for today."  
  
"I got a call from the state a few days ago. The case is being reopened and they want me to lead it."  
  
"…oh my god."  
  
"The witness came back, finally. She's under heavy security somewhere…they won't even tell me where she is. Jaejoong…I told them I would do it."  
  
"Oh my god."  
  
"I resigned so that I can finish this. I _have_ to finish this, Jaejoong. Don't misunderstand me, I love teaching. I found you because of teaching, I don't regret one moment of it. I love the classroom, but I love the courtroom more."  
  
"More than me?" Jaejoong whispered.  
  
"No. Jaejoong, I'm not abandoning you. This is good for us. No more hiding, no more sneaking around. It won't matter that our students notice us wearing the same clothing, or that they see us holding hands in movie theaters, or kissing under a streetlamp on the streets of Seoul. How is that bad?"  
  
Jaejoong didn't know how to explain what he was feeling. It seemed stupid. "Can…can you promise me something?"  
  
"Anything."  
  
"I love Professor Jung. I don't want him to go away."  
  
Yunho pulled Jaejoong closer, finding skin to kiss and stroke. "Professor Jung is Lawyer Jung, I promise you," He poked Jaejoong's side, "Besides, you have Heechul. You'll still have classes like mine."  
  
Jaejoong sighed. He had almost forgotten that.  
  
"Want to hear some spectacular news?"  
  
"Please."  
  
"My rib has healed…"  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Really."  
  
"That is spectacular. Can I remind you of something?"  
  
"Of course."  
  
"Our door is locked."  
  
"I feel like you're insinuating something. Care to inform me of it?"  
  
Jaejoong kissed him.


	17. Confrontations

It had probably been the smartest decision of Jaejoong’s life to pilfer pillows from Yunho’s couch _before_ the apartment was ransacked. Not that it was something Jaejoong had consciously decided to do, but all the same, it had been a brilliant move. They stilled smelled like him, and if Jaejoong thought hard enough, they almost felt like him too...sort of.  
  
Jaejoong groaned in frustration and lamented his life. The one night when he had nothing to correct, Yunho had decided to go do some preliminary case work. That had been a good five hours ago, and Jaejoong hadn’t even gotten a text. He had sent about thirty. He wasn’t worried (it was Yunho, when he was in his get things done mode, nothing could disturb him unless you stood in front of him and threatened to ruin his work,) just bored. And tired of trying hard not to noticed Yoochun and Junsu sucking each other’s faces off in the hallway. Junsu had been trying to leave for fifteen minutes.  
  
Changmin had been gone all day to help Yejin with her notes for the debate for the next day, and Jaejoong had no idea when he was coming back. He hoped it was before Junsu left; Changmin wouldn’t let them forget semi-public making out.   
  
“Jaejae?” Jaejoong rolled a little bit to see Ha Neul standing uncertainly in the door way, “Sun Hea is breathing funny. Can’t sleep.”  
  
Grumbling inside his head, Jaejoong scooped his niece up in his arms and said, “How about you sleep in my bed for a little bit?”  
  
Ha Neul nodded enthusiastically and Jaejoong petted her hair. He tucked her into his covers and hoped that he would remember that she was there later.   
  
“Sing,” Hae Neul demanded, and he complied only when she added please.   
  
She fell asleep after a few minutes and Jaejoong shut the door quietly behind himself. He checked on Sun Hea and laughed quietly as he saw her breathing with her mouth open. He tucked her in carefully, still chuckling as she muttered some sort of Sun Hea/Korean sentence. He heard the front door down stairs open and close and he made his way down to the living room to see if Junsu had finally left or if either Changmin or Yunho were back.   
  
Yoochun was sprawled on the couch looking awfully forlorn and Jaejoong decided on the former.  
  
“So were you actually going for the world’s longest goodbye or was it accidental?”  
  
Yoochun threw a pillow at him. “Tell me again where Yunho is. Shouldn’t he be...occupying you?”  
  
Jaejoong threw the pillow back.   
  
“Are you still fighting? I thought you made up. I certainly thought I _heard_ you making up.”  
  
“We’re not fighting. He’s just...working.”   
  
“You’re pouting is so not cute. I don’t know what Yunho sees in it. What were you so angry with him for anyway?”  
  
Jaejoong wasn’t sure if Yunho wanted anyone to know. Not that he cared. “Yunho’s not teaching anymore.”  
  
Yoochun opened his mouth severals times as if he was going to something. After about five minutes he said, “Wait. What?”  
  
“Heechul is taking over,” Jaejoong crawled over to Yoochun, stealing the pillow from him, thinking that burying his face in the _snuggle_ was the next best thing to Yunho’s chest. _Yes,_ he told his academic brain, _I used snuggle as a noun. Deal with it._    
  
“As in Yunho isn’t teaching anymore?”  
  
“That’s what I said.”  
  
“That is so unfair,” Yoochun whispered, “That is so incredibly unfair. How did you get three years of him but I only got one semester.”  
  
“Two,” Jaejoong purported, “This summer class totally counts.”  
  
“One and a half,” Yoochun said, like he was bargaining a price.  
  
“Fine. One and a half. Why are we even arguing about it?’  
  
Yoochun tried to slide an arm around Jaejoong but the elder batted it away. “I don’t know where that hand has been in the last half hour. Don’t touch me with me.”  
  
“It’s clean. I promise.”  
  
“Don’t touch me.” Jaejoong enunciated, and Yoochun retracted the arm. “Are you coming to the debate tomorrow?”  
  
“Of course I am.”  
  
“I’m going to have the bring the kids if everyone is coming. Maybe I’ll give them coloring.”  
  
“Seungyon told Changmin that he wanted to go.”  
  
Jaejoong looked up from his pillow, “Really? Well that’s good.”  
  
A key sounded in the lock and Jaejoong abandoned his pillow as Yunho walked into the living room.  
  
“And that is my cue for bed,” Yoochun stood stretching as Yunho dropped his briefcase on the ground in favor of accepting a moving mass of Jaejoong into his arms, “Good night.”   
  
Jaejoong mumbled a response into Yunho’s shirt, and when he heard Yoochun’s door shut he pulled Yunho’s face to his for a kiss. “Five hours,” Jaejoong groaned, “I thought I was going to die.”  
  
“I’m sorry,” Yunho whispered into his lips, “Can I sit down, please, just hold you for awhile? My head is killing me.”  
  
Jaejoong settled himself next to Yunho, legs over lap, and kissed his temple, “Were you productive?”  
  
“Moderately. I can’t really do too much, I’ll start in earnest once classes are over.”  
  
“Because five hours isn’t in earnest.”  
  
Yunho chuckled and let his head fall against the back of the couch. “You know how I am.”  
  
Jaejoong tugged him closer and Yunho fell against his student’s shoulder, mumbling pleasantly as Jaejoong pulled a hand through his hair. “So,” Yunho began, “Can we talk about next semester?”  
  
“What’s to talk about? You aren’t going to be teaching. End of story, right? I’m not stupid enough to tell you to not do something that you love.”  
  
“I appreciate that,” arms wound around Jaejoong’s waist, “But I was thinking...your whole next semester is an internship anyway, so...if you wanted, you could do it with me.”  
  
There was a respectful moment of silence as Jaejoong thanked anyone he could think of that might have been responsible for Yunho’s brilliance. “Really?”  
  
“Yes. Really.”  
  
“Wait, you really want me to help you? Is that what you’re asking me to do?”  
  
“Well, I can’t really ask my former partner, can I?”  
  
“I love you.” Jaejoong kissed the top of Yunho’s head.  
  
“I’ll take that as a yes.”  
  
“Yes, yes, yes.” Dear god yes. A stray thought flitted through his head and Jaejoong blurted it out, silently blaming Yoochun, “Are you sure I won’t be to...distracting?”  
  
Before he could register the action, Yunho had him pinned on the couch and was looming over his student, his Professor face making Jaejoong’s breath catch. “Of course you’ll be distracting. Why do you think it took me five damn hours to do practically nothing today? Your face kept popping up in front of me. I figure, if I have you there, I can just pounce on you whenever I feel like it instead of having to shut my eyes and imagine it.”  
  
“And that’s not going to be distracting?” Jaejoong asked with a smirk, attaching his lips to Yunho’s.  
  
“It won’t. But I’d rather have the distraction be real than not. Plus,” Yunho added, swiping his tongue across Jaejoong’s mouth, “There will be no kids.”  
  
“Heaven.”  
  
“Absolutely,” Yunho murmured and Jaejoong closed his eyes as his lover’s hips moved against his own, quite content to forget everything but _Yunho_.  
  
  
~~~~  
  
  
Changmin unlocked the door quietly as he came in, not knowing who would still be up. He made his way into the living room after hearing voices murmuring back and forth and rolled his eyes when he saw Jaejoong tucked into Yunho’s arms. He didn’t even know how they managed to cuddle so effectively in such small spaces. It had to be a crime. Or a misdemeanor. Something.  
  
“Hi,” Jaejoong smiled lazily.  
  
Changmin tried to find the right word that could adequately describe Jaejoong’s appearance, “You look thoroughly fucked,” Changmin finally said, “and I mean that sexually.”  
  
Jaejoong grinned, his obviously ravished lips striking a dark contrast against white teeth. “Thank you,” was the honest reply and Yunho kissed the top of Jaejoong’s tousled hair, chuckling, “I most certainly am.”  
  
“Actually, I think that the correct tense is _have been_ fucked,” Yunho said conversationally, “ _Am_ sort of implies action going on. I _am_ being fucked, you _are_ being fucked,”  
  
“Okay, you didn’t need to confirm that. Or respond at all.”  
  
“You brought it up.”  
  
“I know but...just...no. You didn’t need to say that. I’m going to bed. Good night.”  
  
“Changmin, Ha Neul is sleeping in my bed can you move her for me. Please?”  
  
“You mean can I clear your bed so that you can _continue to be_ fucked? Sure, why not?”   
  
“ _Be fucked again_ ,” Yunho corrected, and Changmin turned his back on them, hearing their smothered laughter as he walked up the stairs.  
  
  
~~~~  
  
  
It turned out that a lot of people had decided to come watch the final debate. Jaejoong had never seen the classroom quite so full in all his years of study. The entire law faculty had shown up, even those who weren't teaching classes. He waved to Donghae and his zoologist as well as Leeteuk. The pediatrician sat himself by Seungyon who actually didn't seem to mind. Even the Dean made an appearance, perhaps trying to make up for the Yoochun incident.  
  
Jaejoong set Ha Neul and Sun Hea up in a corner with coloring, still feeling slightly guilty that he had to bring them, but consoled by Junsu's promises to keep them occupied and quiet.  
  
"You really advertised,' Yunho commented.  
  
"Just by word of mouth," Jaejoong shrugged.  
  
At the start of class, Yunho made Yoochun standby the door to turn away anyone who didn't know his policy of “never be late for my class, regardless of who you are.” The professor couldn't really yell at anyone who wasn’t his student, so avoidance of the problem was the best course of action to take.  
  
Yunho spoke breifly about how he was rather proud of the class for doing so well, and Jaejoong sunk into his seat, blushing furiously as Yunho told the entire room that he was especially proud of him for being able to teach three classes. Jaejoong decided to kill Yoochun later for the smirk on his face as everyone clapped.  
  
They had both agreed to have a panel of judges to decide the winner. Yunho allowed both Yejin and Seunghyun to choose a member, (Yejin chose Heechul to the professor's obvious delight, and Seunghyun another member of the law faculty,) and then picked Seungyon and Donghae's friend Eunhyuk. Jaejoong wasn't sure if Seungyon was honored or astonished. Yunho asked the Dean to be the fifth and the man seemed extraordinarily happy to oblige.  
  
The rules stayed the same. For thirty glorious minutes, Jaejoong sat in awe of his two students as their groups argued back and forth about a murder case that had taken place ten years ago. Jaejoong had done a whole case study on it his first year and it held a special place in his heart because it had been the first assignment Yunho had verbally praised Jaejoong for.  
  
When the panel of five had left the room to make their decision, Yunho leaned close to Jaejoong's ear and whispered, "Your arguments were better."  
  
Jaejoong got butterflies in his stomach as he tried not to blush. Yunho sidled over to Donghae and Leeteuk who were talking and Jaejoong decided to stay put because he was sure that his legs wouldn't be able to support his weight.  
  
Sun Hea toddled over to him to display several hearts that she had drawn (her new favorite shape) and he let her sit on his lap and said all the right things to her, making her giggle into his hug.  
  
When the five judges came back into the room, Sun Hea was still mumbling sweetly, so engrossed in her self discussion that she didn't protest when Junsu came to fetch her from Jaejoong's lap. Her conversation simply transferred itself, as if Junsu and Jaejoong were the same person.  
  
The Dean cleared his throat once the room had quieted down (thanks to glares from Yunho and Jaejoong to certain, unnamed students,) and he announced quite fervently that it had been one of the best debates he'd ever witnessed.  
  
"Certainly, I must commend their professors for such professional tutelage. We think that both sides did a wonderful job and that they both deserve to uh...have this count as their final."  
  
Jaejoong could sense a slight disapproval in the Dean's words, but he imagined that the man had comes to terms with it. Plenty of professors swapped out assignments for finals.  
  
"Seeing as we had to choose one, it was unanimously decided that Seunghyun's group did better. So they-"  
  
The rest of the Dean's words were drowned out as Seunghyun's team whooped in utter glee.  
  
Jaejoong glanced carefully at Yejin and was relieved to find her smiling. He had expected Seunghyun to win; his arguments all semester had been positively flawless, and this time around was no exception.  
  
The spectators were all smiling and laughing at the group's reactions and when the commotion had settled down, each group respectfully congratulated one another.  
  
Jaejoong winked at Yejin after catching her eye, and she smiled at him, nodding. He thought it was a good thing that she'd still be taking the exam anyway; she would be able to retain more information now that Changmin was helping her.  
  
Yunho was grinning and after praising both students himself, he said that it was the best way he'd ever ended a semester. While everyone in the room was busy eating the cake that Jaejoong had brought (Yoochun had called him a first class suck up,) Yunho had leaned towards him again and whispered, "I lied, kissing you at the end of last semester was the best."  
  
Jaejoong smiled, proud that he hadn’t blushed. Changmin rolled his eyes when Jaejoong looked at him and the TA made a note to properly acknowledge Yunho's whispered confession and Changmin's snide facial expressions when they were safely back at home.  
  
His pants were tugged as his brain was etching this thought into his memory and he looked down to see Sun Hea holding up her arms expectantly.  
  
Jaejoong swung her up onto his hip, telling her that since she behaved so well, she could have an extra big piece of cake. Not that the piece of cake would be extra big, because no one wanted to purposefully (or accidentally) feed Sun Hea too much sugar, but she didn't need to know that. She'd only be eating the frosting anyway.  
  
He ended up being fed the cake that she didn't want and he glared at Yunho from across the room when he noticed that his boyfriend was laughing at him. "More!" Sun Hea demanded, pushing the offending cake to his mouth after she had removed the frosting for herself.  
  
"I've had enough, Sun Hea. So have you."  
  
Yunho appeared in front of him, still chuckling, and whispered, "you have cake smudged all over your mouth. I suggest you wipe it off or I will not be responsible for what I'll do."  
  
"Which is what?" Jaejoong asked, searching blindly for a napkin, unable to take his eyes from the professor's.  
  
"Lick it off you," Yunho winked and Jaejoong reluctantly wiped his face clean, making one more note to save a little cake for later. "Don't get any weird ideas," Yunho poked his face, "I can guess what you're thinking."  
  
" _You_ suggested it, so you can't possibly blame me for getting ideas in my head."  
  
Yunho just laughed and wet some more napkins for Jaejoong, "Here. She still has some frosting stuck in between her fingers."  
  
Jaejoong was glad that everyone was far too busy being happy to overhear their exchange.  
  
  
~~~~  
  
  
They had decided to confront Sangmi before questioning Yejin about Yunho’s apartment. Seunghyun had actually also come to Jaejoong and said (very angrily) that he and several other students had seen Sangmi cheating. No one really wanted get on her bad side, but since Sangmi already hated Seunghyun, and he didn’t really care, he had decided to speak for all of them. Jaejoong told him that someone had already come to him, and promised to do something about it.  
  
The day after the debate, Jaejoong beckoned to Sangmi after class and said that he and Yunho wanted to speak with her and was she free at the moment, because it really couldn’t wait.  
  
They knew she was, and Jaejoong was sure that she had no idea what they were going to speak with her about when she eagerly agreed and followed them both up to Yunho’s office.  
  
Jaejoong attempted to appear non-chalant as he navigated piles of paper, trying to find the best area to sit. He still had yet to clean the office, and Heechul's notes were slowly beginning to pile up, mixing in with Yunho's organized chaos and threatening to drive Jaejoong insane.  
  
Sangmi tossed her bags onto the floor carelessly and plopped down into the seat on the opposite side of the desk Yunho sat at. She looked thrilled, and Jaejoong was sure she thought that they were about to tell her something wonderful.  
  
"So I'll get right to the point," Yunho's voice was not at all kind and Sangmi's grin faltered for a second, "It was brought to our attention that you cheated on the last test."  
  
The grin disappeared. “What?”  
  
“You were seen cheating,” Yunho repeated, “And we would both like an explanation and an apology.”  
  
“Well whoever it was is obviously lying. You’re just going to take one student’s word for it? I don’t-”  
  
“Sangmi,” Jaejoong interrupted, “Several people saw you with notes by your feet, flipping pages, and copying. You’re in enough trouble as it is, don’t lie.”  
  
“Did _you_ see me Jaejoong-ssi?”  
  
“That isn’t really relevant.”  
  
“They’re all _lying_.” Sangmi stressed.  
  
Jaejoong took note of the desperation in her voice, “Sangmi, the rest of the class studied hard for that test. They all did relatively well on it, and I don’t blame them for being upset that a fellow classmate didn’t put in the work to achieve something-”  
  
“It was my cousin wasn’t it? She’s a lying bitch and you shouldn’t-”  
  
“Yejin did the best out of everyone in that class on the last test, Sangmi.”  
  
“She’s _retarded_. If she did so well, than you should be questioning _her_ about cheating, because I can guarantee you that she cheated; if anyone would cheat it would be her.”  
  
Jaejoong sat on his hands so that he wouldn’t hit the girl in front of him, even if she did deserve it. “It was _not_ your cousin that ratted you out,” Jaejoong lied, quite thankful that he could do that relatively well, “and I know she wasn’t cheating because I watched her. You’re right in that if anyone had a reason to cheat, it would be her. But you know, your cousin has a lot of character. She’s been tutored for awhile now, and she’s made every effort to make up for her disability. I watched her through that entire test. She was the last one to leave and not once did she even look up from her paper, not even to stretch. I _should_ have had more faith in her, because if I hadn’t been watching her, I would have seen you, and I would have kicked you out of that classroom.”  
  
Sangmi seemed unable to speak and she sat glaring, breathing hard through her nose.  
  
“You will not be welcome back into my classroom until you have sorted this out with the Dean,” Yunho said, and handed her a piece of paper with a place for said official’s signature, “And you know very well what absences do to grades.”  
  
The paper trembled in Sangmi’s hand and she looked up at Yunho, hissing, “You can’t suspend me.”  
  
“You suspended yourself when you chose to cheat,” Yunho returned quietly, “Sangmi, you have so much potential to be a good lawyer. I honestly don’t understand why you thought that you needed to do something like this.”  
  
Sangmi stood up and grabbed her bag, her hands still shaking in fury, “You will not get away with this, you have absolutely no proof.”  
  
Yunho thought for a moment before saying, “Eyewitness accounts are some of the best types of proof there are.”  
  
The hate that was written all over Sangmi’s face made Jaejoong’s toes curl involuntarily. She walked out of the door, slamming it loudly behind her, causing the glass to rattle.  
  
“I wasn’t even done,” Jaejoong pouted, and Yunho let out a breath slowly, falling back against his chair, “I hope I can yell at her again.”  
  
“That’s a terrible thing to think about one of your students.”  
  
“Oh please,” Jaejoong fought the urge to sit himself on Yunho’s lap, “Like you didn’t enjoy that.”  
  
“Of course I did; however, that doesn’t mean I should wish for it again. I ought to talk to Heechul, though; he caught a student cheating his first year teaching...I think there are still dent marks in the room where he confronted the student.”  
  
“Dent marks on what?” Jaejoong asked, suddenly very grateful that Sangmi hadn’t thrown anything.  
  
“The walls. I’m sure he could show you.”  
  
Jaejoong sat in the seat Sangmi had vacated and threw his feet up on the desk.   
  
“Feet off desk,” Yunho ordered, “Grade papers.”  
  
“When did you lose the capability to form full sentences?”  
  
“When you decided to sprawl your sexy all over that chair. Grade.”  
  
Jaejoong grinned.  
  
  
~~~~  
  
  
Yejin proved to be a slippery fish to catch. Jaejoong would try to snag her after a class as Yunho packed his notes away but managed to all of a sudden gain a gaggle of friends who she’d latch onto and hussle out the door before the TA could reach her.  
  
Jaejoong even attempted to recruit Changmin to try and squeeze information from her, and he promised, but said, “really Jaejoong, it’s not like I have time to drill her about anything other than law and what she needs to study.”  
  
Finally exasperated, Jaejoong waited until the end of a law intro class when Yunho asked him, as he always did, if the TA had anything he wanted to add. Usually, Jaejoong said no (because Yunho never left anything unsaid.) But this time, he pointed at Yejin and said, “Yes, I need to talk to you after class. Do not bolt out of that door,” and Yejin had no choice but to nod her head meekly at his request.  
  
He beckoned to her as Yunho gathered his papers and she followed them out the door, gripping her notebook so tight, Jaejoong thought that the wire rings must have been biting through her skin. “Sit,” he instructed, and they assumed the same positions they had occupied the day before when Jaejoong had pulled Sangmi from class.  
  
“Please explain what you said about Yunho’s apartment.”  
  
“I don’t really want to.”  
  
“Well that’s too bad, because you’re going to sit there until you do. Do you know what that apartment looked like, Yejin, when I went to look?”  
  
“You _went_? I told you not to!”  
  
“Why? Yejin, we’re just trying to figure all of this out. If you know something you have to tell us.”  
  
“I can’t do that,” Yejin whispered, “I want to, but I can’t, I’m sorry.”  
  
Jaejoong pinched the bridge of his nose, irked.  
  
“Yejin,” Yunho prompted quietly, “You realize that you’re protecting whoever is behind that, right? You can get in trouble and I don’t want you to. Yejin, please. How did you know that something wasn’t right?”  
  
“I can’t tell you that,” Yejin’s voice was still no much more than white noise, “Please just let me go, I...please.”  
  
Jaejoong looked at Yunho and found that his boyfriend was staring quite intently at Yejin. “Fine, you may leave. But this discussion is not over.”  
  
Yejin left without a word and for the second time in a row, Jaejoong felt quite unfilled.  
  
“Shit,” Yunho muttered, and let his head fall on the desk.  
  
After a few minutes of silence, Jaejoong gathered his delegated paper correcting and kissed Yunho’s head which was still laying next to his laptop where it had landed. “I’m going home, Yoochun has to study.”  
  
“I’m going to stay here, talk to Heechul for awhile,” Yunho muttered into the synthetic wood, his breath leaving a wet steam on the surface.   
  
“Okay,” Jaejoong kissed him again. “Hey...we’ll get her talk, it’ll work out fine.”  
  
Yunho smiled, finally lifting his head, taking advantage of the closed door, pulling Jaejoong into a very quick hug. “I know.”  
  
~~~~  
  
  
Jaejoong was bent over papers when Yunho got back, an intense look of concentration on his face as he wrote out his comments. The sight of him made Yunho pause for several seconds, feeling extraordinarily appreciative and completely in love.  
  
Yunho trailed fingers over Jaejoong's cheek and the other looked up briefly, smiling, before moving his eyes back to his work.  
  
"You know," Yunho whispered, still gently thumbing Jaejoong's skin, moving his hand into hair, "I fell in love with this look."  
  
The pen paused it's scrawling across the page. "What?"  
  
"This. How you look when you're concentrating: the way you bend over a paper, the way you hold your pen, the way you occasionally stick the tip of your tongue out.... Tests were the only time I could stare at you without fear of someone noticing."  
  
Jaejoong set his pen onto the table and regarded Yunho; the professor could imagine that his boyfriend was trying to think of something clever to say. Yunho decided to not give him any time to do so and leaned in quickly, kissing a moderately surprised yet very willing Jaejoong.  
  
"So," he whispered, when Yunho finally pulled away, "Was that the reason you always gave out so many tests?"  
  
Their breath mingled as they chuckled and continued to brush their lips together lightly, entwining their hands.  
  
"No, but if you want that to be the reason, than I'm alright with that."


	18. Unconditional Love

Jaejoong woke to someone shaking his shoulder gently.  He grumbled in annoyance, pulling the covers closer to his chin, and then felt around blindly for Yunho's side to snuggle against. He didn’t know what he was going to do at the end of the summer. He had gotten so used to Yunho in his bed.  
  
"Hyung, wake up."  
  
The voice sounded suspiciously like Changmin.  Yunho mumbled something that sounded like "go away," as he rolled onto his stomach and Jaejoong heard himself say, "Bother Yoochun. Too cozy. Go."  
  
"Jaejoong-hyung you need to get up.  Please."  
  
Jaejoong cracked an eyelid open, slightly peeved and wondering why _he_ had to be the one to solve this problem.  "Changmin, it's three in the morning."  
  
"Yejin. Yejin called me."  
  
"Why did she call you at three in the morning? I didn’t even know she had your number."  
  
Jaejoong sighed contentedly as Yunho’s arm snaked around his middle, squeezing him affectionately, a thumb stroking his side.  
  
"She was crying.  I have to go get her."  
  
Jaejoong blinked and then sat up, finally noticing that Changmin was fully dressed, had his keys in hand, and was looking positively panicked.  
  
"Wait...what?"  
  
"She sounded terrible.  She's in the park, I'll be ten minutes.  Just...wait up, okay?"  
  
_Just in case_.  Jaejoong filled in the blank, but he didn't say it, only nodded. "I'll be up."  
  
Changmin scrambled off the bed, smiling.  
  
"Dongsaeng," Yunho mumbled into the pillow, and Changmin paused, "Be careful."  
  
Jaejoong fell back down and neither said anything for awhile, both laying awake with questions running through their brains.  "I'm going to make tea," Jaejoong finally announced, and he slid on his clothing that had been scattered all over the room hours before.  
  
He padded quietly down the stairs, skipping the step that always squeaked, and in a few minutes felt Yunho's arms slip around him and he closed his eyes.  
  
"It'll be fine," Yunho murmured.  
  
"I don't even know what I'm supposed to be worrying about."  
  
Yunho chuckled.  
  
"Except that it's been twelve minutes since he left, not ten."  
  
"Traffic," Yunho supplied, but his tone of voice indicated that he was just as nervous as Jaejoong.  
  
"At three in the morning?  Don't make me laugh."  
  
"I should," the arms tightened around him, "I don't like you sad."  
  
The tea kettle started whistling at the same time that they heard a key in the lock.  Jaejoong shut the stove off and made a beeline for the entryway, coming to a horrified halt.  
  
"Oh my god.  Yejin..."  
  
He didn't even know where to look first.  She was a mess...and was that blood?  Or just really bad bruising? No, it was both.  Everywhere. What...  
  
"Help," Changmin gasped, "Can't hold her up."  
  
Yunho moved first, reaching out to hold Yejin up by her arms but Changmin smacked his hand away.  "Her right arm's broken, don't touch it."  
  
"Changmin, you should have brought her to the hospital."  
  
"No hospital."  Yejin whispered, tears flowing freely, and Jaejoong felt his heart fall onto the floor.  "P-please...no hospital."  
  
"Okay," Jaejoong whispered, "no hospital," wondering how on earth they were going to fix a broken arm with no doctor.  
  
Between the three of them they managed to sit Yejin on the couch, Yunho thinking quickly and ripping the shower curtain from the bathtub, spreading the plastic over the furniture just in case.  Changmin went to find the first aid kit (for all the good that would do,) and Jaejoong let Yejin rest gingerly on his shoulder, pressing the wet cloth Yunho handed him to anything that he could.  
  
"I'm sorry," Yejin was croaking, "I didn't have anywhere else to go."  
  
"Don't talk," Jaejoong admonished, "We can do that later."  
  
Changmin came back carting mountains of gauze.  "I didn't know we had all that," Jaejoong said, reaching for it, and trying to find a way to hold Yejin and clean her simultaneously.  "Yejin, where is this blood coming from?"  
  
"I don't know," Yejin whispered, "I...everything hurts."  
  
Jaejoong felt sick and looked at Yunho, trying to come up with some sort of hospital-free solution.  Then it hit him.  "If you call Leeteuk right now, would he answer?"  
  
"Let's find out," Yunho handed his antiseptic to Changmin who almost dropped it all over Yejin's bleeding knee cap.  He paused for a minute and then decided that might actually be a good idea and dumped a third of the bottle over it, making Yejin hiss through her tears, "I hope Kangin is with him."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"He's an ER doctor."  
  
Jaejoong started praying.  
  
There was a bump in the hallway and Jaejoong looked up, a tousled Yoochun standing in the living room doorway, Junsu peeking over his shoulder.  Jaejoong hadn't even known that Junsu had stayed.  Apparently the goodbyes hadn't happened quite as planned that night.  
  
"What's going-"  
  
Yoochun swore colorfully, interrupting Junsu's bleary question and Jaejoong decided not to mind the harsh language when Yejin snorted out what sounded like laughter.  
  
Jaejoong let the two of them carefully try to stop Yejin's cuts from bleeding while he just sat there and held her.  He made a promise to himself to take some sort of medical class, or have Leeteuk teach him or something.  Because he hated only being able to wipe away her tears. Yunho came back into the room and sat next to him, the shower curtain crinkling underneath them and he said, "They're coming."  
  
Jaejoong didn't know how far away they lived, and he was sure that it wasn't the three hours it felt like before he heard both Leeteuk and Kangin walk into the room and gasp almost simultaneously.  
  
"You need to go to a hospital," Leeteuk said, before he could even fully see Yejin.  
  
"No hospital," Yejin said, and Jaejoong just sushed her, wiping more tears away.  
  
"No hospital," he promised.  
  
Kangin was growling, throwing a bag onto the floor, and kneeling in front of Yejin, pushing Junsu and Yoochun away roughly.  He reached out for her, muttering to himself as Leeteuk starting rummaging through the bags that they had lugged in behind them.  "Someone get the girl some alcohol," the pediatrician said, "I don't have any pain killers.  Seriously, Kangin, why aren't there pain killers in here?"  
  
Yejin shied away from Kangin's hands but Jaejoong whispered encouragements into her ear and she relaxed.  
  
"Yejin, you have to tell me what's wrong," Kangin whispered, and Jaejoong thought that Leeteuk must have told his lover the girl's name, because he didn't remember them ever meeting. "What hurts?"  
  
"Everything," Yejin moaned.  
  
"I think her right arm's broken," Changmin said.  
  
Yejin screamed into Jaejoong's shoulder when Kangin touched it gently, probing, trying to discern the extent of the damage.  
  
"I need to set it."  
  
She whimpered.  
  
"Here," Yunho pushed some soju towards her and he held the glass while she drank it, a few drops spilling down the side of her mouth.  "Slow down," Yunho whispered, and Jaejoong tried not to think about the pain that Yejin was trying to erase.  
  
Leeteuk put a pillow by her face.  "Bite," he instructed, and then moved to hold her legs down.  
  
Jaejoong closed his eyes and sang to Yejin, blocking out what he was sure was the terrible sound of a bone setting, but unable to miss Yejin's screech of pain, even as the pillow muffled it.  He found himself telling her that she was so brave, wiping away the sweat and blood on her forehead with his sleeve because there wasn't anything else for him to use.  
  
"Yejin, I'm going to take your clothes off, okay?"  
  
"We can make Changmin leave if you want," Yunho joked quietly, as she bit her lip.  
  
"Why me?" Changmin demanded.  
  
"Because you are the only other straight person in this room," the professor continued and there was a quiet chuckle shared between everyone, making Yejin smile and Changmin pout.  
  
"It's fine," she said, and closed her eyes.  
  
Leeteuk suddenly gave a shrill shout of triumph and emerged from the depths of Kangin’s bag with a syringe. “Found the painkiller!” He announced happily, and spent a second or two filling the shot before administering it.  
  
"No one but Kangin will look if it'll make you more comfortable," Jaejoong whispered, as he noticed a little shame begin to stain her cheeks.  "I'll order them all out and Leeteuk can hold you."  
  
"S'okay," Yejin mumbled into Jaejoong's shirt, turning her tear streaked face away.  
  
“Is that better?” Leeteuk asked, and Yejin nodded. Jaejoong noticed that she had relaxed a little bit and some of his breath started to come back normally.  
  
"You really need to lay down for me," Kangin said, "sitting up is not helping."  
  
A few moments of awkward positioning later and Jaejoong was kneeling next to Yejin's head as Kangin cut her pants, Yejin gritting her teeth as he peeled them away.  
  
The shower curtain was a mess, Jaejoong noted, refusing to look at Yejin's body, smiling at her as she cried.  
  
"Yejin," Leeteuk's soft voice whispered, "Yejin, you need to be completely honest, sweetie, okay? Because this looks like abuse."  
  
Jaejoong looked, his heart thudding in his ears.  Her legs were completely covered in bruises.  Ones that were most defintely old and fading, and new ones, that Kangin was slathering with some sort of salve as he watched Yejin's face for an answer.  
  
"Yejin, that is what this looks like," Kangin said, "what did they hit you with?"  
  
"No one's going to hurt you," Jaejoong whispered as tears pricked the corner of her eyes.  
  
"No," she said.  
  
"You have to tell us," Kangin pleaded.  
  
She was crying.  Jaejoong stroked her hair, kissed her cheek, murmured encouragement until she whispered, "He-he just...hit me."  
  
Someone was swearing behind them.  
  
"Yejin," Leeteuk murmured, "Look, we both see this sometimes, unfortunately.  Those aren't just fists or hands.  What was it?"  
  
Jaejoong was sure that he didn't want to know, but before he could find somewhere to hide, to not hear anything,  Yejin was whispering sticks and brooms and stones and he thought he might throw up.  
  
He was saved by another bump in the hallway and he looked up to see Ha Neul and Seungyon in the doorway, shock clearly written all over their face at scene in front of them. Ha Neul looked ready to scream in panic. “Go back upstairs,” Jaejoong heard Yoochun say.  
  
“But-”  
  
“Seungyon, take your sister and go back to bed.” Yoochun repeated and Seungyon grasped his sister’s hand and left, Ha Neul’s frantic babble heard until it was shut behind a door.  
  
“I’ll go,” Junsu said, “Sun Hea’s probably up anyway.”  
  
Jaejoong heard him go wash his hands and then plod up the stairs.  
  
“Yejin, I hope this isn’t a favorite shirt,” Kangin said, scissors in hand.  
  
Yejin blushed. “I..I don’t...I left so quick...”  
  
“No one will look,” Jaejoong promised, “because as we’ve previously established no one is really interested in looking. Except for maybe Changmin but he is honestly a gentleman so you don’t have to worry, okay?”  
  
Yejin nodded.  
  
“I’m going to tell you a story,” Jaejoong said, as Kangin’s scissors went to work, and he started telling her about the stupid orange goo incident and how mad he was and "you should have seen Yoochun's face."  She looked confused for a minute and then she smiled as he continued to whisper the story to her, making them both think about something other than Kangin’s touch, other than the fact that she was essentially naked in a room full of men.  
  
He started to tell her about how much he loved Yunho and how stupid the man made him and about how he used to gush before class and how embarrassed he was when he found out that Yunho had heard him.  
  
He told her about his sister, and how ridiculously boisterous she was and how he would never understand her parenting style whatsoever, but how much he loved his nieces and nephew even if they were the terrors of the universe.  
  
He told her how stupid Yoochun had been concerning his love for Junsu ("Hyung, that's embarrassing!" coming from behind him, which he ignored because if Yejin was going to be embarrassed then so were the rest of them.)  
  
He talked about how impossible Yunho had been when he had fell down the stairs.  He considered telling her that the professor wasn't going to continue teaching, but Jaejoong wasn't sure how she'd feel about that, and since there was a small possibility that she would be upset, he decided to keep quiet.  
  
He was sure that he made no sense by the end of his rambling, but Yejin seemed soothed so he kept talking about anything that popped into his head.  He thought that maybe once or twice he had said that she was his first favorite student ever and that he was so. damn. proud. of her.  He also might have been crying, but he wasn't too sure.  
  
Changmin came to sit beside him and took Yejin’s hand in his own. “Go sit with Yunho,” he said, “You’re a mess. Seriously, Hyung.”  
  
Jaejoong found himself listening to Changmin, never more grateful for Yunho’s warm arms in his entire life.  
  
“Want to hear something spectacular that is going to come out of this incident?” Changmin asked Yejin, far too excited for his own good.  
  
_Yes,_ Jaejoong said in his mind, thinking that if he was a cat, Yunho’s stroking of his head was going to make him purr.  
  
“You have officially gotten out of finals!”  
  
When the laughter quieted down, Changmin asked, “So why don’t you want to go to the hospital?”  
  
Jaejoong tried to stand up so that he could hit Changmin, because really, the boy deserved it. You didn’t ask that when she was laying on the couch, being _treated_ -  
  
Yunho held him firmly and Jaejoong growled as he flailed for a second, Yejin’s face going white.  
  
Kangin, seemingly not paying attention to anything except the task in front of him was holding out his hand to Leeteuk. The pediatrician was rummaging through the enormous bag again and came out with some scrubs.  
  
“These are going to be too big for you, but they’re Teukie’s so it’ll be better than trying to wear mine.”  
  
They were still huge.  
  
“My sister left a few clothes,” Jaejoong said, “I’ll see if I can find something that will fit you better.” He whacked Changmin’s head on the way out, just to satisfy himself.  
  
When he returned, there was an awkward silence, Kangin and Leeteuk cleaning meticulously.  
  
“Here,” Jaejoong said, “I found some of her old pajamas.”  
  
Leeteuk came over and helped her sit up, sliding the clothes around her broken arm, murmuring comfortingly as she whimpered a little. “Yejin,” he whispered, when she was dressed, “Yejin, sweetie, I know you don’t want to hear this.”  
  
“No,” Yejin squirmed, “I can’t.”  
  
Kangin squished himself by Changmin and grasped the hand of her good arm. “You have to.”  
  
“I can’t.”  
  
“Yejin,” Kangin said firmly, “You are going to go. That arm needs to be in a cast, and you have to be scanned for internal injuries.”  
  
“No.”  
  
“You _have_ to go. This, what you’re dealing with...yes, I sort of fixed it, but you have to be sure.”  
  
“I _can’t_.”  
  
“ _Why._ ” Changmin whispered, desperate, and Jaejoong swallowed back tears.  
  
“My family.”  
  
“Your family works there?” Yunho asked from the recliner.  
  
Yejin nodded.  
  
“Your family did this to you,” Changmin supplied and Yejin’s lower lip trembled as she nodded. Jaejoong let his hand rest on her kneecap. He wanted to squeeze it in reassurance but he was sure that would cause more pain instead of alleviating it.  
  
“Okay,” Kangin whispered, “Look, if I can get you in and put your cast on, and check you for internal injuries without any other nurses or doctors or janitors knowing about it, and then get you out without anyone knowing that it was you, would you let me?”  
  
For the second time that night, Jaejoong found himself praying.  
  
“Just you?” Yejin whispered.  
  
“Well, Leeteuk too,” Kangin said, “And Changmin.”  
  
“Wait...why am I going?”  
  
“Hush,” Yunho said, chucking a pillow at Changmin’s head. Jaejoong smirked.  
  
“And you promise no one will see me?”  
  
“They might see you, but they won’t recognize you.”  
  
“I...” Yejin looked positively terrified.  
  
“I know it’s scary, Yejin” Leeteuk whispered, “but I promise that you will not get hurt.”  
  
“You _don’t_ know,” Yejin whispered, and this time Jaejoong couldn’t quite keep the tears back fully. He patted her knee (gently) and then curled up on Yunho’s lap, because apparently, that was what he did when he wanted to hide from the world.  
  
There was a moment where he could only hear everyone breathing.  
  
“I _do_ know,” Leeteuk whispered, and Jaejoong almost spilled from Yunho’s lap as he tried to see the pediatrician’s face. “Honey, I’ve been where you are, I know exactly how it feels. I know you don’t want to trust anyone, and that you want to just shut it out, but you can’t. Yejin, let us help you. Kangin’s done this before with me, and I promise you that he will do as he says. You will be completely and totally safe.”  
  
Jaejoong watched as Leeteuk held Yejin from behind, as Kangin encased her small hand in his own, as Changmin sat on the floor, his lip worrying itself into a permanently bitten shape.  
  
“Fine,” Yejin breathed, “But _no one_ can know that it’s me.”  
  
“They won’t,” Kangin promised, obviously elated.  
  
Changmin looked terribly relieved.  
  
“We need to get you a bigger shirt,” Leeteuk said, “Jaejoong, does your sister have any maternity clothes lying around still?”  
  
“She might, why?”  
  
“Because we’re going to pretend that Yejin’s pregnant,” Kangin answered.

 

\-- 

 

Fifteen minutes later, Yejin was seated in the wheelchair that Yunho had left the hospital in, dressed in a maternity shirt (the bottom expertly stuffed) that Jaejoong had found in a forgotten bag in his sister’s closet. He had left a rather large mess trying to get to the bag, but it had been worth it.  
  
“So, could someone please enlighten me?” Changmin asked, “Why am I going again?”  
  
“You are going to be her husband,” Leeteuk said. “You get to act worried, which isn’t a problem, since you are, but you have to be proud too. First child and all that.”  
  
Changmin stared at Leeteuk like he had grown a third head.  
  
“Minnie, pay attention!” Jaejoong snapped. “Worried, proud, first child. Repeat!”  
  
“Worried, proud, first child.”  
  
Yejin giggled and Changmin blushed.  
  
“We’ll get you proper painkillers at the hospital, okay?” Leeteuk whispered, tucking strands of hair behind Yejin’s ears.  
  
She nodded.  
  
“Let’s go,” Kangin said and Jaejoong swallowed, immediately searching for the warmth that was Yunho.  
  
“Be safe,” he whispered, a few seconds late, his words hitting the closed door.  
  
Yunho held him a little bit tighter.  
  
  
~~~~  
  
  
Changmin wheeled Yejin into the ER slowly, bending close to ear and whispering to her. For all the world, it looked like he was attempting to placate his pregnant wife, when in fact, he was telling her about the day he had first met Jaejoong and Junsu. (“Junsu dropped his ice cream all over me, I wanted to kill him.”) Her head hidden by a hood and Changmin’s face, Kangin breezed them through the doors like he owned the place (which he practically did, as Leeteuk later divulged,) and Yejin was soon sitting comfortably in a room with no windows as Kangin worked her arm into a cast.  
  
“There,” he said, admiring his finished work.  
  
“You did very well,” Leeteuk said, as if humoring a child, “Let’s move on, I’m getting antsy.”  
  
“Yes, umma,” Kangin muttered, and Leeteuk kissed his shoulder as he walked by, thoroughly amused.  
  
Yejin was giggling again and Changmin found himself smiling.  
  
They managed to get her a CAT scan right away (“I _knew_ doctors purposefully made you wait forever,” Changmin whispered, making Leeteuk smack his head, “And _you_ are picking up bad habits from Yunho and Jaejoong,”). Changmin watched, holding his breath, as Leeteuk and Kangin obseved the screens in front of them carefully. Neither of them were radiologists, but Kangin was trained enough to know if something was amiss. Or so they had assured the law student. He decided to believe them.  
  
When they were done, they laid her carefully in a bed and Changmin went to sit beside her. He stroked her hair, telling her stories about Yunho and Jaejoong and Yoochun and Junsu until he was afraid that he was going to lose his voice.  
  
Leeteuk finally came in and smiled. “You’re fine,” he said, “Or...at least your physical insides are,” and Changmin found that he could think properly again.  
  
They wheeled her out a back entrance. As Kangin went to go get his car, Yejin pulled Changmin down and whispered, “Thank you,” into his ear, tears of gratitude pooling in her eyes.  
  
He smiled and leaned in to kiss her cheek.  
  
“You’re welcome.”  
  
  
~~~~  
  
  
Yoochun held Sun Hea to him as he ushered Ha Neul downstairs, skirting around the living room. Jaejoong was helping Yejin to sit comfortably on the couch, and Yoochun figured that she had just returned from the hospital.  
  
"Teukie!" She murmured sleepily, somehow still managing to sound excited as she caught sight of him in the living room.  
  
"Not now, Sun Hea," Junsu whispered from his position behind Yoochun, "They're busy having an adult conversation. Ha Neul, do not go in there, come sit and wait for your breakfast."  
  
"But I want to see Jaejae!"  
  
"Jaejoong is busy, you have to wait."  
  
Seungyon popped his head inside the doorway, black hair all in disarray. "Why're so many people here?" He asked.  
  
"It's nothing you need to worry about, come and sit down."  
  
"What happened last night?" He questioned, heading for the living room.  
  
"Kim Seungyon,” Yoochun cut in, “you are already in lots of trouble for your previous antics, there is no need for you to place yourself in more. And if you take one more step, you most certainly will be. Now come and sit."  
  
Seungyon seemed to consider the plusses and minuses of being disobedient. When he turned and plopped down at the table, Yoochun sighed in relief.  
  
"Thank you. Now, who wants juice?"  
  
  
~~~~  
  
  
"Do you want to eat anything to eat?" Jaejoong asked as he wrapped an arm around Yejin, careful not to jostle her cast.  
  
"No."  
  
"How about tea?" He murmured gently, hearing the kettle going in the kitchen, and Yunho dutifully plodded towards it as Yejin nodded against Jaejoong's chest.  
  
Junsu stuck his head in and observed the straight faces in front of him. "This looks too serious for me," he decided, "I'll be in the kitchen with Yoochun."  
  
"And kids," Jaejoong reminded him, "Please be aware that there are also kids in the kitchen, Junsu."  
  
"I'm not blind, Jaejoong," Junsu said, and shot his friend a look that said, "I expect you to tell me everything later on." Jaejoong smiled reassurances at him and Junsu left, already placating a grumpy Sun Hea with promises to see Leeteuk later.  
  
Yunho returned with a cup of tea and Jaejoong muttered with just the right amount of sardonic love, "How nice of you to not consider the rest of us."  
  
Yunho placed a hand on his hip, "Would anyone else like me to play butler? No? Excellent."  
  
Yejin giggled and Jaejoong decided to forgive him.  
  
No one said anything as Yejin sipped at the black liquid, Jaejoong petting her head as the tears slipped out.  
  
"Tastes good," she whispered, "Better than any tea I've ever had."  
  
They must have sat there for a good fifteen minutes before Jaejoong asked if they could maybe have some of their questions answered, as long as she felt comfortable giving them. She took a couple more sips of her tea before nodding.  
  
"Can you...is this a recent development? You showed some skin at the recital, and there were no bruises that I could see."  
  
Not really the question Jaejoong wanted Yunho to ask, but it was a good start.  
  
"He...he only...never before a performance."  
  
"Who is this he?" Kangin asked and Jaejoong wondered if that was why her family didn’t like her dancing.  
  
"My cousin."  
  
"You have the _worst_ cousins," Jaejoong bit out, "Seriously. The rest of your family condones this?"  
  
"I suppose so. My family's never really cared for me."  
  
"Why not?" Changmin asked, "What's not to care for?"  
  
"I wasn't _planned_ ," Yejin muttered, "and then I turned out to be not as smart as the rest of them so..."  
  
"Hello, Cinderella," Yunho inserted.  
  
"Essentially. I suppose I'm lucky that my parent's didn't decide to have an abortion."  
  
"Just goes to show you," Changmin said, "You never know how amazing a child will be. Life is a curious thing."  
  
Yejin blushed.  
  
"And how exactly do they fit into Yunho's case?" Jaejoong asked, not bothering to pay attention to Yunho's glare.  
  
Yejin looked confused. "What case?"  
  
"You knew about his apartment; that someone ransacked it. Was that your family?"  
  
"Why...why would my family do that? I shouldn't be here if they know about you. God, I thought you might be the only thing they wouldn't be able to reach me through."  
  
Jaejoong tried to process this information.  
  
"What case are you talking about?" Changmin asked, and Jaejoong belatedly remembered that not everyone knew of Yunho’s departure.  
  
"So you don't know how his apartment got like that?" He asked, to stall a discussion that he was not ready to have, that he knew not everyone was ready to hear.  
  
"Of course not!" Yejin said, "You thought I was involved?"  
  
"Well, you did refuse to tell us anything."  
  
"And so you _assumed_ a conclusion of your own?" Jaejoong didn’t know if he should be pleased that Yunho’s lecture was being thrown back into his face or not. Changmin seemed to find it amusing because he was beaming proudly, trying very hard not to laugh.  
  
"Yejin, you aren't supposed to know where I live," Yunho pointed out, "what was I supposed to think when Jaejoong came home and told me that you told him not to go to my apartment? And then, when he did go, there wasn't one thing untouched inside?"  
  
Yejin bit her lip.  
  
"How _did_ you know where he lived, then? _Assuming_ we believe you."  
  
"I asked Professor Lee," Yejin said.  
  
"Donghae?" Jaejoong guessed, thinking about the large amount of Professor Lee's at SNU, and trying to pinpoint a few others.  
  
Leeteuk sighed as Yejin nodded, "That boy cannot keep his mouth shut, I swear."  
  
"He's not as bad as Heechul," Yejin said, obviously feeling a need to defend her source.  
  
"True," Yunho said, "Donghae hasn't let slip anything about Jaejoong and I."  
  
Changmin winced, looking slightly panicked and then pointed an accusing finger at Yejin when he realized that no one else was glaring at Yunho, “You knew! I wondered why you didn't freak out earlier when Jaejoong jumped into Yunho's lap."  
  
Yejin giggled, looking between professor and TA who shared a look.  
  
"She was far too excited about it," Jaejoong muttered.  
  
"It's a wonder the whole world doesn't know," Yejin defended her enthusiasm, "You're so obvious because you try _not_ to be obvious. I _know_ I wasn't the only one to notice you wearing each other's clothing, especially not in a class of wannabe lawyers."  
  
"You act like I should give you extra credit for your observation skills."  
  
"I _told_ you," Changmin said, victoriously, "I've been telling you forever, hyung, _you’re so damn obvious_."  
  
"Can we please get back to Yejin?" Jaejoong was blushing furiously, and Yunho's extraordinarily amused expression was not helping. "Why did you ask for his address?"  
  
"I...I didn't know he was staying here. I was going to tell you about Sangmi cheating. I didn't want to do it at school because I was afraid that someone might overhear."  
  
"You did it anyway."  
  
"And that's why I'm like this," Yejin whispered, and the weight of her words made the room sit in silence for a few minutes.  
  
“I don’t understand why you couldn’t just tell us that you walked into that mess accidentally,” Yunho said.  
  
“I...I was just being safe. I told my family I was running errands that day. If someone overheard me saying that I had been at your apartment...I imagine that I would be much worse tonight.”  
  
“So...what are you saying? That you knew that someone was listening?”  
  
“I didn’t know. But I had a suspicion. There’s always someone watching me at school. My parents are very rich and influential; people will do anything to get money, to get on their good side.”  
  
"Who overheard us?" Jaejoong whispered.  
  
"What does it matter? The point is that someone told and it got back to the family and instead of Sangmi getting in trouble, it was me."  
  
"How does that even work?" Kangin asked, and Jaejoong decided that the rough tone of his voice was characteristic of the ER doctor. _Leeteuk probably finds it endearing._ "One would think that cheating would be the thing punished."  
  
"She said Yunho was too hard, that he asked too much of his students and he favored them. She said I was given help, that I you gave me the answers beforehand to study but made everyone else study on their own."  
  
Changmin was spluttering angrily. After all the time and energy he had spent tutoring her, Jaejoong didn't blame him.  
  
"She’s...she’s good at making people see what she wants them too. Especially when she’s talking to her brother.”  
  
“Her brother is the one that hits you?” Jaejoong attempted to clarify.  
  
Yejin nodded.  
  
“I remember him, I think,” Yunho said. “He was in his last year when I was in my first. He didn’t like me much.”  
  
“You were smarter than him, probably.” Yejin whispered.  
  
“I was,” Yunho replied, smiling at some distant memory.  
  
“Have a little humility, _Professor_.” Changmin muttered.  
  
“What? It’s a fact; ask anyone. Ask Heechul, he had us debate each other and I beat your cousin into a pulp. Figuratively speaking.”  
  
Jaejoong let out a small sigh of longing and Changmin rounded on him.  
  
“Hyung, honestly. Yunho is right there, you’re dating him, you’re _kissing_ him, all the time, and other things I won’t mention in front of other people, you don’t have to revert to your pre-Yunho self. Please. For the sake of my sanity.”  
  
“I didn’t say anything, Changmin!” Jaejoong knew he was a bright red.  
  
“You _sighed_! You always used to sigh like that when you _stared_ and _gushed_ and...and why is everyone laughing at me? Laugh at Jaejoong!”  
  
Yejin reached out, giggling furiously, and patted Changmin’s head. “You’re cute, Changmin.”  
  
Changmin groaned in frustration and hid his face in a pillow, no doubt cursing his life.  
  
“You love me,” Jaejoong stated, guessing at what Changmin was railing to the cotton stuffing.  
  
“I don’t,” Chanmgin annunciated carefully, his words barely audible.  
  
“You do,” Jaejoong said, “You love me so much your going to give Yejin your bed and you can sleep on the couch.”  
  
“What does that have to do with loving you?”  
  
“You will do anything I say; I say you sleep on the couch.”  
  
“Whatever. Enjoy my comforter; my mother made it especially for me.”  
  
“See, you grovel,” Jaejoong said, pleased, though whether it was because of Changmin’s submission or Yunho’s chuckle at their banter, he didn’t know. Perhaps a little mix of both.  
  
“Actually,” Kangin said, “I think it might be better if Yejin stays with us.”  
  
Jaejoong could have sworn he felt Yejin deflate a little bit in his arms.  
  
“Besides the obvious reason of just in case something happens, your family will be less likely to find you at my house. Plus, as has just been demonstrated, there isn’t room for you here, and there definitely isn’t room for Leeteuk and I.”  
  
“It’s smart,” Jaejoong said, hoping that he sounded slightly reassuring. “I know it’s hard to stay with people you don’t know well, but-”  
  
Yejin shook her head smiling, “I don’t mind. But...I don’t feel like moving right now.”  
  
“How about just to Changmin’s bed?” Jaejoong coaxed, “You can take a nap and recharge before we move you to Kangin’s.”  
  
He knew that’s what Yejin had wanted to hear and stood as she agreed. Kangin came over and lifted Yejin carefully into his arms. “Lead the way.”  
  
  
~~~~  
  
  
Jaejoong tucked himself into bed. Yunho was talking to Heechul (whose angry yelling Jaejoong had heard through the phone across the room) and when the professor had shown no sign of relenting his discussion, Jaejoong had kissed his distracted cheek and walked upstairs.  
  
His body reacted (minutes? hours?) later to Yunho sliding into bed next to him, automatically seeking the lines of his body, finding his hands to grasp.  
  
“Are you okay?” Yunho asked, and Jaejoong felt his hair brushed from his face.  
  
“I’m fine,” Jaejoong replied, “Just worried.”  
  
“She’ll be fine,” Yunho whispered, lips against his lover’s forehead, “Kangin and Leeteuk are superb doctors.”  
  
“I know,” Jaejoong whispered, “But I’m still worried.”  
  
“It’ll work out. I’m glad that we were wrong about Yejin being involved with my apartment. It was a little silly for us to assume that she was, but I am immensely relieved. I was afraid that I’d end up having to cross examine her in court or something.”  
  
“Not a situation a person wants to be in?” Jaejoong asked.  
  
“Never,” Yunho said, and Jaejoong imagined the parts of Yunho’s smirk that he couldn’t make out.  
  
His half-imagined lips drew nearer and they kissed Jaejoong’s face gently. “You were amazing,” Yunho breathed into his mouth, “I don’t know how I managed to get so lucky.”  
  
“How’s that?”  
  
“You care so much, Jaejoong.” Yunho pulled away and watched Jaejoong in the semi-darkness that the shades were creating. “You just open up your heart and let everyone walk into it. You love so much and it blows me away.”  
  
“I could name a few people that I don’t love,” Jaejoong protested, thinking immediately of Yejin’s family and the nameless face that had pushed Yunho down the stairs.  
  
“You don’t love their actions, but I think that as a fellow human being, you love them because you pity them.”  
  
Jaejoong considered this for a moment. Yunho was right of course. As much as Jaejoong wanted to hate people, he couldn’t. Because when he hated other people, it ended up hurting him; it turned him into something he didn’t particularly like to become.  
  
“I suppose that’s true. Don’t ask me why though.”  
  
“Jaejoong, if I could ever love half as well as you, I’m sure I’d be an angel.”  
  
“What does that make me?” Jaejoong joked, expecting Yunho to say god.  
  
“Just Jaejoong,” was the answer, “My Jaejoong, who I know will love me no matter what.”


	19. Might Sort Of

Jaejoong was just about to write a grade on the last paper of the semester (83 including bonus points Yunho said he would award if there were no grammar or spelling errors,) when the door to the office burst open. Sangmi stood fists clenched, jaw set, and Jaejoong could just imagine fire swirling around her.

"Hello," Jaejoong said, "Did you sort out everything with the Dean? If you did, I have an assign-"

"Where is she?"

Jaejoong pretended that she was an evil dragon (or was it dragoness?) and he pulled out his sword, more than ready to wage words in a verbal battle.

"Where is whom?"

"My cousin."

"Oh Yejin? Why? Did you lose her?"

"Don't fuck with me, Professor, I know she's with you!"

"Sangmi, I wouldn't fuck with you if we were the last two people on earth. Yejin is not with me. She sent a doctor's note to Yunho and hasn't been to class and will not be. It's not my job to keep tabs on her whereabouts."

Her jaw worked as Jaejoong watched her, his pen tapping the paper in front of him. "You...I know you know where she is."

"Why do you need her so badly?"

"Her family is missing her," Sangmi said, and Jaejoong felt like punching her.

"I can only assume that if she isn't telling you where she is, she doesn't want to be found. Now, did you get those papers signed? Because I'll give you the study guide I gave everyone else for the final. You'll be off suspension just in time for it, isn't that lucky?"

"Fucking tell me where she is right fucking now or I'll fucking get you fired!"

Jaejoong decided that swords weren't really doing anything. Maybe grenades would be more effective. "First of all, I don't like your tone or your language, or your lack of respect. You have no say in who this school hires, and neither does your family, regardless of how influential they might be. Second of all, I don't know where she is, however, I do know that she's safe, seeing as she sent me a doctor's note. And lastly, if you didn't get the papers signed, I have nothing more to say to you. You're lucky Yunho had a meeting to be at, because if he had been here and seen your outburst, he would have taken the necessary steps to get you expelled. So either hand in your suspension papers or leave."

"Give me the doctor's note," Sangmi demanded.

"I can't do that; it's considered confidential."

"I'm family. Hand it over. I will speak to this doctor."

"Sangmi, I couldn't hand it to her parents, not even if they got down on their knees and begged me."

"You will give me that note, Jaejoong-ssi, I am not leaving this office without it."

"What is going on?"

Jaejoong bit back an urge to sigh in relief as Heechul poked his head into the office, lugging a large pile of tests still warm from the photocopier.

"Oh, look. It’s the girl who hates my hair. I though you were suspended. Did you bring your papers? I can sign them instead of Yunho if that's what you're here for."

"The only papers I will be leaving with is this supposed doctor note my cousin sent. I was only respectfully requesting it."

Heechul set his photocopies down on Yunho's desk and they made a large thump. "Sangmi, I could hear you all the way down the hall. It wasn’t respectful."

"I'm not leaving until you tell me where my cousin is."

"I don't know where she is. I didn't even know she was lost. Papers now, or I will call security."

"You can't do that."

"No?"

Heechul snagged the phone, fingers poised over numbers. Truly, Jaejoong thought, Heechul was better than swords and grenades put together. He was like a whole fricking army.

The whites of Sangmi's eyes were disappearing, and a vein was throbbing in her temple, "You can't do this."

Jaejoong crossed his arms, "You keep telling us that, yet somehow we keep right on doing."

"I swear to god I will get everyone fired. Every fucking one of you."

"What is all this noise?"

Donghae was now standing in the doorway, a stack of books in hand. "I swear my fish are feeling the tremors all the way down in the Biology department...oh...you're the one that's suspended, right? You're attempting a shouting match with Heechul? Let me give you some advice. Stop. You will lose."

"What is with you people?" Sangmi screeched. "Get out of my way!"

"Papers first," Heechul said, "Since you did take all the trouble to walk over here."

"I will not give you any papers. My parents are taking care of that particular matter."

"No study guide until those papers are in my hand," Jaejoong said firmly, "And again, you are so lucky that Yunho's not here, because if he was, he wouldn't be offering you the chance to take the final."

"Damn right he wouldn’t," Heechul said.

"Fuck you all."

"Again," Jaejoong sighed, as Sangmi pushed Donghae out of her way, "No thank you."

Heechul flipped his ponytail, “God I hate her.”

 

~~~~

 

“Boo!”

Yejin jumped and Yoochun laughed at the blush creeping up her neck. She stuck her tongue out at him and burrowed further into her blankets, turning her attention back to the semi-boring daytime drama she had been watching.

“We’re here to rescue you,” Junsu announced, stepping in front of the television, “Well, actually, we’re here to take you shopping.”

“I don’t want to go shopping.”

“Nonsense. You need clothes, at the very least. Jaejoong’s sister has strange taste, you definitely don’t want to wear her rejects for the rest of...well, for however long you’re here, which could be a rather long time by the look of things.”

“I don’t have any money.”

“Yejin,” Yoochun said firmly, “Please, your circle of friends are now all doctors and lawyers.”

“I don’t want to be indebted-”

“You’re not going to be,” Junsu insisted, “we want to do this for you. You have a nice shiny bank card with money from everyone on it. And, you have the two of us as your personal bag carriers for as long as you want. It’s every girl’s dream.”

Yejin’s eyes were wide as Junsu held out the card. “I-I cant accept that! You’re all students, you-you-”

“We’re not all students,” Yoochun slid closer to her, “I feel no shame in admitting that I certainly didn’t contribute as much as Yunho, who definitely didn’t contribute as much as Kangin or Leeteuk, seeing as he’s just teaching-”

“Yoochun, I can’t.”

“Again, that’s utter nonsense. It’s done, we’re going, end of argument, we win.”

“I’ll carry you if you want,” Junsu offered enthusiastically, “Or we can wheel you around. You need to get out and you need clothes.”

Yejin sulked a little before nodding.

“Wonderful!”

A week or so of recovering in Kangin’s living room had proved to do wonders for her health. She shook off their help insisting that she could walk perfectly fine and they were driving her to the nearest shops. She had never liked shopping much, but knowing that she had money and that she could buy clothes that she liked and not ones her cousins told her that she could wear was invigorating.

Yoochun turned out to be helpful in terms of fashion. He seemed to understand what she liked a little bit more than Junsu (“She is not going to wear that, Junsu, it’s ugly” “It is not! I think it’s cute!” “Would you like your daughter wearing that?” “Well...no, I guess not...”)

They had combed through several stores and Yejin was starting to loose her energy. She wandered for a few minutes, trying to figure out where Yoochun and Junsu had gone so she could tell them that she was tired and she wanted to go home. She had already caught them making out in an empty changing room when they were supposed to be finding her different sizes. Only by threatening to tell Jaejoong had she been able to secure fervent promises to not do that sort of thing in her presence. Ever again. Especially not while shopping.

She grinned, liking the feeling of power, and stopped to admire a shirt on display.

“You!”

Yejin froze.

“You piece of shit, where have you been?”

Her body seized up, automatically reacting to the familiar sound of her cousin’s voice. Her shoulder was grabbed roughly and she was spun, gasping, as she tried to keep her head above the tide of emotions sweeping her.

“Yejin! Answer me!”

She stuttered, her tongue thick with fear as Sangmi stood enraged before her.

“You stupid girl; did you think you could actually manage to run away? You just wait until I get you home.”

“Let me go,” Yejin whispered.

“Don’t be silly. You’re coming home.”

Yejin squirmed as Sangmi tried to pull her through clothing racks. “Please stop.”

Sangmi yanked Yejin angrily and she stumbled, heading full tilt into a rack of sweaters.

“You stupid, clumsy-”

“What’s going on?”

Yejin almost wept with relief as she heard Junsu’s voice. She swore he sounded just like an angel.

“J-Junsu!” She hid her face in his shoulder as she was picked up off of the floor, his arms coming around her protectively, smoothing her hair as Yoochun stood between them and Sangmi.

“I knew she was with you. Hand her over this instant!”

“I’m sorry but I don’t believe you. If you knew she was with us, then you should have come to us directly. Not that we would have given her to you.”

“I went to Jaejoong; I’m pretty sure that’s the same thing.”

“It’s not,” Yoochun said flatly, “I’m my own person, thank you very much. 

“And our own persons would appreciate it very much if you would stay away from Yejin,” Junsu added.

“Yejin wants to come home,” Sangmi said sweetly, reaching out past Yoochun, or attempting it, anyway, “Don’t you?”

“Don’t touch me,” Yejin whispered. The only reason she wasn’t hyperventilating was Junsu’s soothing hand on her back, she was sure of it.

“You have to say please, Yejinnie,” Sangmi smiled.

“Don’t touch her,” Yoochun bit out, “Please.”

“Give her to me.”

“Like hell,” Junsu said, and they moved around Sangmi rather professionally. Yejin thought that they maybe watched too many dramas.

“You’re going to regret this.”

“I don’t think we will,” Yoochun tossed over his shoulder.

“You’ll be hearing from us.”

“I’m so scared,” Junsu muttered, rolling his eyes, pulling Yejin closer to himself as they walked out the door.

 

~~~~

 

“I thought you said we’d do this later,” Jaejoong whispered, as Yunho pressed him into the bed, marveling at each little squirm his student made against his body.

“Now, later, what’s the difference?” Yunho asked, moving his mouth up Jaejoong’s neck but not touching it exactly, watching goosebumps rise on his flesh and wondering if they were possible to kiss away.

“Well, now we aren’t technically alone, and later...I seem to remember you whispering something about a hotel room into my ear.”

Yunho’s chuckle was deep as Jaejoong’s hands roamed his back, his actions completely contrary to his words.

“So,” the professor whispered into the shell of Jaejoong’s ear, “you’re saying that you would rather I made love to you in a strange bed other people have slept in, instead of here,” Yunho rocked his hips a little, making Jaejoong’s breath catch, “in this bed, that we’ve shared for the past few months.” The intimacy of the words made Jaejoong arch into Yunho’s touch and apparently forget his previous objections. 

“God, Jaejoong why do you feel so good underneath me?”

“Guess I’m that spectacular. Can we stop talking?”

Yunho whispered, laughed, licked, kissed “Heechul’s rubbing off on you,” into Jaejoong’s mouth as the professor was pulled closer, an action that dared him to moan something that wasn’t Jaejoong.

Yunho's phone went off by Jaejoong's ear and the TA yelped in surprise, bonking his nose against Yunho's awkwardly. The professor swore quietly. God forbid they had two minutes without someone interrupting them.

“If Changmin is calling from downstairs, I’m going to kill him,” Jaejoong hissed.

Angling away from Jaejoong, Yunho reached for his phone where it had been tossed unceremoniously (along with keys and Jaejoong) onto the bed and flipped it open, scowling at Junsu's name flashing on the screen.

"What?" He asked irritably, finding the hollow of Jaejoong's throat with his thumb and stroking it.

"Um, okay, don't freak out."

Yunho sat up, not at all expecting the seriousness of Junsu's voice. "What's wrong?"

"Um, Yoochun and I sort of need you to come down to the police station."

"What?"

"Well, we might sort of be under arrest."

Yunho started getting dressed, throwing clothes at Jaejoong who was desperately trying to follow him around the room to listen in, not really knowing what was going on.

"What do you mean you 'might sort of be?' And what did you do?"

There was sigh at the other end of the line. "Um...nothing, technically. But Yejin’s family accused Kangin and Leeteuk of kidnapping and we got involved because we were with Yejin when Sangmi saw us."

"Kidnapping? Please tell me that you're not serious. And when did you see Sangmi?"

"Who was kidnapped?" Jaejoong asked, the panic evident on his face as he finally started to dress.

"No one," Yunho said, "Hush."

"That's what they said, and then when I was squished against the wall, Yejin came out and they all sort of stared at her like they expected her to be tied up or something. And Leeteuk started in while they were trying to cuff him, saying that she was there of her own free will and that she was being abused and they weren't listening!"

"Where is Yejin?" Yunho asked, pulling a very confused Jaejoong out of the door after finally locating his keys that had disappeared into the sheets.

"I don't know. You need to get here. Please."

"Listen to me Junsu, don't say anything."

"I know, Yunho, I'm not stupid."

"And make sure Yoochun doesn't say anything. I will be there really soon and sort everything out."

"Thank you." Junsu sounded immensely relieved.

"You're welcome," Yunho said, and then ended the call.

"What the hell?" Jaejoong asked, lips still swollen, a bite mark standing out rather visibly on his collar bone.

"Car. I'll explain on the way."

 

~~~~

 

Yunho strode into the police station, his hands on his hips, his lawyer credentials flapping in the face of anyone that tried to stop him. He was directed to the investigator in charge (by a very nervous and intimidated secretary) and Yunho marched straight up to the official’s desk, not even bothering to introduce himself. It made Jaejoong very proud. 

"I hope you realize that this is all a big misunderstanding."

"Well..."

"Because handing Yejin over to her cousins is a really bad idea."

"Regardless..."

"And if you do, not only will you have a huge ass lawsuit on your hands that you won't win, you will also no longer have a job. You'll also probably have to reconsider your career because after I am through with you no police juncture will ever hire you ever again."

"Jung-ssi..."

"And," Yunho leaned across the desk, "You will have Yejin's blood on your hands."

"I can't very well ignore a kidnapping claim-"

Yunho glared at the man. "Did you see her bruises?"

"Well, yes, but the family thinks that maybe the Kims were the ones who-"

"The bruises are far more than a week old. That's how long she's been missing, yes?"

"Well, yes," the inspector admitted, "but if she was being abused than someone should have reported it."

"Yejin is of a legal age," Yunho said, "Leeteuk and Kangin wanted her to report it, but she wasn't comfortable with facing her family. She smart enough and old enough to make her own decisions and they respected that. And she's also still recovering from her injuries. If you don't mind, my colleague would like to see her, and I would like to see whoever else you are holding here relative to this mess."

"I can't-"

"Actually, I know very well that you can. And you will."

 

~~~~

 

Jaejoong was still in awe of his boyfriend when a wet, crying mess of Yejin threw herself into his arms. He held her carefully, stroking her hair as she moaned about seeing Sangmi through the glass window of the room and how she hid underneath the table because she didn't want to be seen.

"It's fine," Jaejoong murmured.

"I don't want to go back, " Yejin sobbed, "I will jump off of a bridge before I go back."

"The only place you're going back to is Kangin and Leeteuk's," Jaejoong assured her, "And there will be no jumping off bridges, missy. That would make a lot of people very sad."

"You can't fix this," Yejin whispered, horrified, "They think Kangin-ssi kidnapped me; you can't fix that, Jaejoong-ssi."

"Yunho can fix anything," Jaejoong promised, "It'll all be fine. And really, Yejin, you're sobbing all over me, I think you can leave off the ssi. It makes me feel old."

"Sorry," Yejin whispered, and Jaejoong wiped her eyes with tissues. Her hands stilled his and she looked at him seriously, the fear that he saw there making his gut twist. "Don't make me go back. They can't make me go back, right?"

"I promise they won't," Jaejoong whispered, "You're safe, okay?"

Yejin collapsed back into him, breathing ragged and Jaejoong just stood there, rocking her as she cried in relief. He noticed Sangmi and a man he didn't know standing outside the glass, watching with sour expressions. The TA gave them the coldest glare he could muster and felt a small twinge of pride as Sangmi withered and turned away with a huff.

 

~~~~

 

Yunho was glad to see that Yoochun, Junsu, Leeteuk, and Kangin were at least just sitting in a interrogation room and not in a cell. Certainly not the most conventional means of confinement and it gave Yunho a little more hope. 

Yoochun looked like he was going to cry with relief when he saw Yunho walk in.

"Seriously, the amount of trouble that I have to bail you people out of. I don't know if it's worth it."

Yoochun snorted as he wrapped his arms around Yunho’s middle, shuddering a breath out. “We can leave, right?” Junsu asked.

“In a bit. I have to threaten some more people but you know...”

“I love you,” Yoochun declared into his neck, “Really, really, really, love you. Platonically.”

“You’re so lucky I answered my phone,” Yunho said, patting Yoochun’s head awkwardly, “I almost didn’t.”

“Do I want to know why?” Junsu asked.

“No,” Yunho smiled, and then turned to Kangin who was stroking Leeteuk’s hair, the pediatrician having collapsed with his head on his arms. “I’m sorry you got dragged into this.”

“No one dragged anyone,” Leeteuk muttered into the table, “We walked of our own free will, although...I don’t think getting arrested in the middle of dinner is going to be one of my fondest memories ever.”

“Where’s Chansook?” Kangin asked, “No one would tell me.”

“Social services. You’ll get him back, promise. When I return, we’re leaving,” Yunho said, and went to intimidate more police officers.

 

~~~~

 

Jaejoong tucked Yejin into bed, just because he could. “Not five,” she mumbled.

“You’re talking like one,” Jaejoong replied, stroking her hair back as she snuggled into blankets, “Besides, I don’t think you had anyone to tuck you into bed when you were five...I’ll make Changmin visit tomorrow, okay?”

Yejin blushed and Jaejoong tapped her nose. “Kay,” she whispered, and he bent to kiss her forehead.

Walking out of Kangin’s guest room and into the kitchen, Jaejoong was more than mildly pleased to see Yoochun and Junsu cuddling on the doctor’s pull out couch, their eyelids drooping.

“They just wanted to sleep,” Leeteuk said, “We don’t mind, really.” He held onto Jaejoong tight before they left, tears in his eyes. “Now we’re even.”

“Maybe you are with Yunho,” Jaejoong replied, “But I still owe you for helping Yejin.”

The ride back was quiet. Jaejoong stared out the window, Yunho holding his hand, rubbing his thumb across the back of it. He didn’t say anything until he was tucked protectively into the professor’s arms in bed. 

“You’re making my life insane,” Jaejoong muttered, “What normal college student deals with this kind of shit?”

“Regretting me?” Yunho hummed, but his tone was teasing.

“Never. But I was thinking of applying for a few modifications.”

Yunho burst out laughing, his mouth quickly covered by Jaejoong’s hand, shushing him.

“May I plead my case?” Yunho asked, cupping Jaejoong’s face with his hands.

“I’m listening,” Jaejoong whispered, closing his eyes as Yunho ghosted kisses up his neck.

“How about you feel.”


	20. Aftermath

Kangin and Leeteuk weren't home when Changmin arrived at their house, but thanks to the key they had given Jaejoong, he slipped inside. Jaejoong had pretended to threaten Changmin with no dinner if he didn’t visit Yejin, but they both knew that Changmin wanted to and that the threat was useless.

Chansook was sitting on the couch watching TV and he jumped scrambling to shut it off as Changmin came through the door. "It-it was just on," he said, "I wasn't watching!"

"Which means you were," Changmin supplied, "Are you not supposed to be watching television with your appa gone?"

Chansook slowly shook his head.

"I won't tell your appa," Changmin promised, "If you tell me where Yejin is. And if you don't watch it while I'm here."

"She's sleeping," Chansook said.

Therefore you watch TV, Changmin said in his mind, shaking his head. He wondered if he had been this tricky when he was ten. He thought he probably had been.

"Do you not like her?" Changmin asked.

"She's alright," Chansook said, "She's quiet."

Changmin knew that was probably the best he was going to get out of the cootie-fearing ten-year-old. "How long has she been in bed?"

"Since..noon?"

"Chansook have you been watching television for three hours straight...nevermind, I don't want to know. Go..do something else. Too much TV isn't good for you; there's a reason for your appa's screen time rule."

The boy sighed, but nodded.

Changmin made his way to the guest bedroom, opening the door quietly. He didn't really know why because he was planning on waking Yejin up anyway.

She was curled up in sheets and pillows, a blanket hanging from the shadeless window to block the light. A small fan was pointed at the wall so Changmin assumed it was for white noise rather than cool air.

He walked in and sat on the bed watching her breathe for a little while before deciding to wake her with gentle ministrations of his hands.

“Leeteuk?”

“Changmin,” he whispered, “Sorry. Leeteuk’s still at work.”

Her eyes opened fully and she smiled, stretching. “Jaejoong said you were gentlemanly, yet here you are walking into my bedroom while I’m sleeping.”

Changmin blushed, trying not to remember how Yejin looked that night.

She sat up and to his surprise wrapped her arms around him, threatening to squeeze the life from him. “You weren’t there last night.”

“I was designated baby-sitter. Rudely. They wouldn’t tell me anything.”

“I’m sorry,” Yejin mumbled. “If it makes you fell any better, if I ever get arrested I will call you first.”

“Please don’t ever get arrested,” Changmin finally maneuvered his arms to wrap around Yejin’s middle for a brief hug before pulling away. “Getting arrested equals not fun.”

“I shall remember that,” Yejin nodded dutifully and they both chuckled. 

Chansook poked his head in, “Um...Appa’s almost home, he said to start rice. I can do it...if you want.”

“That’s fine,” Yejin smiled, “thank you.”

“He likes you,” Changmin said when Chansook had left, “Are you okay with him?”

Yejin shrugged. “I guess. He seems alright; I don’t see much of him.”

“That’s because you’re a horrible babysitter,” Changmine informed her, “Chansook was watching TV all afternoon.”

“I’m not used to being in charge,” Yejin said. “I didn’t know how to tell him to stop. I don’t think he’d listen to me.”

“You need to tell Kangin.”

Yejin looked horrified. “I...I don’t want him to get in trouble.”

“Yejin,” Changmin soothed, “Leeteuk and Kangin don’t treat Chansook like you were treated. You understand that, right?”

“But-but it’s bad to be in trouble.”

Changmin sighed. Where was Jaejoong when he was needed? The older man could explain this so much better. 

“You’re right. Being in trouble is never good. The point I guess, is that you were never in trouble. You were abused and blamed for things you didn’t do. Chansook on the other hand, knows that he is not allowed to watch TV when his appa or Leeteuk aren’t home and decided to do it anyway. As the responsible adult in charge, it’s your duty to inform Kangin of his son’s infraction.”

“I...I’m held responsible?” Yejin looked like she was going to be sick.

“No,” Changmin said firmly, “No, you’re not. You’re just responsible.” 

“But I was sleeping. They know it’s not my fault, right?” Tears were beginning to prick her eyes and Changmin realized that he probably shouldn’t have even brought it up.

“That didn’t come out right,” Changmin winced. 

As if sent by God, Changmin heard the front door open, and Leeteuk call out that he and Kangin were home. “Maybe I’ll let them explain it to you.”

Yejin gripped his arm. “I don’t...They’ll be mad at me!”

“They won’t be mad, I promise.” Her grip didn’t lessen on his arm. “Hey,” he said seriously. “Yejin, you need to trust me.”

He looked away as Leeteuk poked his head into the room. “Oh, hi Changmin. Yejin, is he-what’s wrong?” 

Yejin’s wide-eyed look was hard to interpret as something other than fear.

“She’s afraid you and Kangin will be mad at her.”

“What?” Leeteuk frowned and opened the door fully. “Kangin! Come here.”

Yejin whimpered and Leeteuk immediately hurried over to her, reaching out, “Yejin, honey, I’m not gonna hurt you. I promise. What’s wrong?”

“Chansook,” Yejin managed to squeak out shying away from Leeteuk’s arms to cower behind Changmin.

“What about Chansook?” Kangin asked from the doorway.

“She fell asleep and Chansook spent the afternoon watching TV,” Changmin told them, deciding that his promise to Chansook was not as important as Yejin.

“Please don’t be mad,” Yejin whispered, “Please don’t be mad, I just didn’t know how to tell him to shut it off. I’ll work harder, I promise. I’ll be better. Just don’t be angry with me.”

“Oh, Yejin,” Kangin murmured. “Yejin, I’m not mad. I’m not mad at all.”

“But...but you said not to let him. You said to try to play a game or something. I disobeyed you,” Yejin’s lower lip trembled and Changmin tried not think about what she was associating the word ‘disobeyed’ with.

Kangin walked over and knealt by the bed. “No you didn’t,” he said, “It’s not your fault that you fell asleep. Even if you hadn’t, even if you had told Chansook to turn it off and he didn’t, you wouldn’t have. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

“Maybe.”

“Come here,” Leeteuk whispered, “Let me hold you. The most important thing to understand here is that no one is mad at you, alright?”

Yejin swallowed and Changmin let out a sigh of relief as she let Leeteuk wrap his arms around her. “Not even a little?”

“Not even less than a smidgen,” Kangin assured her, kissing a kneecap that was peeking out from the swathe of blankets. “I promise.”

“Kay,” she whispered. “You-you won’t be mad at Chansook?”

“No,” Kangin shook his head, “I believe I’m disappointed with my son, because he knows better, but I’m not going to be angry.”

“Are you...disappointed with me?”

“No,” Leeteuk answered, “We’re proud of you.”

“Jaejoong said he was proud of me,” Yejin said against Leeteuk’s chest and Changmin wondered at her behavior. She was so much different than the girl he had tutored. He wondered what parts of the Yejin he knew were the true Yejin and which parts were not.

“We’re all proud of you,” Changmin assured her.

“Come with me,” Kangin said, “I want you to see how I talk with Chansook.”

Changmin let out a quiet breath as they left, Yejin’s hand in Kangin’s.

“Can I...ask Jaejoong over?” Changmin fished for his phone.

“Of course,” Leeteuk replied, already straightening out Yejin’s bed as Changmin stood. “I think that’s a brilliant idea.”

 

~~~~

 

It turned out that Leeteuk and Kangin only lived fifteen minutes from Jaejoong’s sister’s apartment. Yunho offered to drive and Jaejoong was delighted to discover than they made it in twelve minutes. The speeding went unnoticed because it was Yejin they were going to see.

“What happened?” Jaejoong asked. “Did someone take her out again?”

“Not exactly,” Changmin answered, leading the TA to her room (Yunho had begged off, saying that he would talk with Kangin for awhile,) “She had to tell Kangin that Chansook was disobedient.”

Jaejoong thought about for a second before it clicked. “Didn’t go well?”

“I ended up telling him.”

“Ah.” Jaejoong nodded, and listened intently as Changmin related the tale to him.

They slipped into the room and Jaejoong smiled as he saw Yejin sitting on the bed curled up against Leeteuk who was speaking softly.

“Hi Yejinnie,” Jaejoong said and she smiled when she saw him, her face brightening immediately.

“Jaejoong!”

“I’ll leave you two to talk,” Leeteuk said, extracting himself form blankets and grabbing Changmin’s arm on the way out, “C’mon, you can tell me all about your classes and why your elective this semester is not with me.”

“I knew someone who took one of his classes,” Yejin said when Jaejoong has assumed Leeteuk’s previous position, “She said it was a really fun class.”

“Yunho said Leeteuk’s classes were hard.”

“She said it was but...it was fun. I mean it’s children’s medicine, right? I guess it has to be a little quirky.”

“I suppose you’re right. You should ask him about it.”

He stroked her hair for awhile before asking, “Are you okay?”

She nodded.

“You know no one’s upset with you?”

“Yes.”

“Okay. Good. Can I ask you some things, Yejin? Changmin said...that Kangin took you with him when he spoke with Chansook.”

Yejin nodded again, her arms automatically wrapping around his midde. 

“Did what you see upset you?”

“Not...not really.”

“Did you expect to see what you did?”

“I didn’t know what to expect,” Yejin admitted.

“Tell me.”

“He...he made Chansook sit down.”

“Did he make him or did he ask Chansook to sit?”

Yejin was quiet for a minute. “He asked,” she said. 

“And did Chansook listen?”

“Yes.”

“Was he scared?”

“I don’t think so. But he was nervous, I think.” 

Jaejoong chuckled. “May I note here that there is a difference between being scared and being nervous.”

“I know that.”

Jaejoong turned his head to look at her. “I’m just assuming that you need to work this out in your head, Yejin. Am I being stupid? Should we go and eat instead?”

“No, you’re right.”

“Okay. Continue. What did Kangin say?”

“He asked Chansook what he did for the afternoon while I was napping. Chansook...fidgeted. Then he said that he read, and that he talked to Seungyon and just...walked around.”

“And what did Kangin say?”

“He said that they were having a serious conversation and that Chansook had to approach it seriously. Then he talked about me and said that I was hurting and that he expected Chansook to take care of me as much as I was going to take care of him.”

“What do you think of that?”

“I...I’m not sure what I think of that. I don’t know how long I’m going to be here.”

“I can tell you that you’re welcome here for as long as you want. They love you,” Jaejoong whispered against her hair.

Yejin sniffed. “I...Jaejoong, Kangin didn't yell at him. I don’t...he just said, ‘I expect you to make sure that she’s okay not take advantage of her situation and watch TV all afternoon,’ and then Chansook was apologizing to him and then to me and I...I didn’t know what to do.”

“You expected him to yell at Chansook?”

“Yes. To hit him,” she muttered, wiggling in closer, “which is stupid, I know it’s stupid. I know not everyone hits their children.”

“And that’s why Kangin wanted you to see it. He knows that you know not every parent is abusive, Yejin. But sometimes...sometimes seeing how a child is disciplined without hitting makes it more real. Especially to someone who was abused.”

“Kangin’s smart.”

“He is. And he’s had practice.”

“Leeteuk,” Yejin supplied and Jaejoong nodded. “Leeteuk...he said that it doesn’t go away easy. He said that even though he’s been living with Kangin for almost six years and Chansook considers Leeteuk as much of a parent as Kangin, Leeteuk can’t...he can’t discipline.”

Jaejoong hummed. 

“He said that when Chansook was younger, when something happened, he couldn’t control him. He’s only just gotten to the point where he can send Chansook to his room, but that’s it. Leeteuk makes him wait for Kangin.”

“Does it scare you to know that it won’t be easy for you to heal?”

“I guess.”

“You’ve got lots of people supporting you.”

The door opened up and Yunho popped his head in. “I wanted to let you talk alone but Leeteuk threatened me.”

“Come and sit.”

Yunho plopped down on Yejin's bed at Jaejoong's insistent urging and Yejin ended up squished between the two of them as they tried to latch onto each other.

"If I'm in the way of a moment..." she muttered sarcastically, trying to wriggle from Jaejoong's grasp.

"Don't be silly. We don't have our moments at other people's houses," Jaejoong held her back, "usually."

There had been that one time in Donghae’s office when they had went to meet with him about a mutual student. Donghae hadn’t showed up and when they had found out he had been with Hyujae they had decided on the best sort of revenge.

And there was also the one time in Junsu’s dorm...but that was because they had found some yaoi manga Yoochun had given him as a joke and...well, one thing had led to another (because really, could people actually move like that? turns out, yes they can,) and oh yes. It had been a nice evening. Junsu didn’t know, of course, and the secret just made it all the more sweeter.

Yunho and Jaejoong entwined the hands that were around Yejin, knowing smiles on their faces as they silently shared the same memories.

"I want to love like you two," Yejin said suddenly and Jaejoong halted mid caress, unsure of what to say. "I want...to be happy like you are."

"It's frustrating to be happy," Jaejoong said carefully.

"Hey!" Yunho objected.

"Well it is," Jaejoong said, "You spend all your time wanting to be with the other person, even when you know you can't; you daydream and think about them and wish they were where you were. You just want to wrap your soul around them and hold them forever, even when they piss you off. Frustrating."

Yunho sighed.

"But," Jaejoong added, "the times when you're not frustrated with longing are..." He searched for the right word. Fantastic? Amazing? Beyond belief? Drool-worthy? No. None of those.

"Are what?" Yejin asked quietly.

"There isn't a word," Yunho replied for him.

"It's scary how you can get inside my head," Jaejoong muttered, making Yunho chuckle.

"I still want it," Yejin said softly, and Jaejoong pulled her closer, "Is it okay to want something I don't understand?"

"Of course," Yunho answered, "If you could only want things you understood than Jaejoong and I wouldn't be together. Ow!"

"Now we're even," Jaejoong sniffed, but he leaned a little and kissed the place on Yunho's shoulder that had felt his fist. "somewhat."

“We will settle this ‘somewhat’ later tonight,” Yunho growled. 

Jaejoong covered Yejin’s ears. “Yunho!”

“I’m not five,” Yejin muttered, rolling her eyes, but she made no move to remove the appendages blocking her hearing.

“Sorry,” Yunho said, “I’m sorry, Yejin. I shall attempt to refrain from discussing our bedroom activities in front of you.”

“I...I don’t mind.”

Jaejoong stared at her incredulously. “I mean...that’s not...it’s just that my-my parents didn’t...they weren’t like any of you. You wouldn’t have known they were together. I don’t mean to sound voyeuristic, it’s just...it’s nice to see love.”

Jaejoong patted her head. “It’s nice to find someone who doesn’t mind PDA.” And as if to test his theory, he squished Yejin a little more to kiss Yunho on the mouth.

“It’s nice to know people who don’t mind displaying it,” she returned, and Yunho laughed quietly, poking her stomach.

“Honey, you just landed yourself in a whole pile of people who are hardcore supporters of visible displays of affection. All the time. I expect you to join...okay that was about to come out all wrong.”

“Yunho-yah! Were you just going to say that you expected her to join in?”

“Not what I meant, Jaejoong, I promise!” Yunho scooted away from Jaejoong’s glare. “I meant that when she finds someone to love I expect them both to kiss each other senseless in front of us. That’s all.”

Jaejoong glanced down at Yejin and tsked. “You’re making her blush. Stop it. You’re failing at everything tonight.”

Yunho pouted, “I bet I can find something I won’t fail at.”

“I’m sure you can.”

“And I’d be more than happy to demonstrate certain things that I know I can pass with flying colors.”

“Yunho.” Jaejoong hid his face in Yejin’s hair, knowing his cheeks were matching Yejin’s.

“You’re both so adorable when you’re embarrassed,” Yunho kissed them both on their heads. “How did I live without you?”

A breath of air was released from Jaejoong’s lips, but he smiled at Yunho and they fell into a small lapse of silence. He could tell that Yejin wanted to ask something terribly important; she kept taking a breath as if wanting to say something and then releasing it, her courage disappearing almost immediately.

“Just say it,” Jaejoong finally said gently, unable to take the suspense.

“Can I...can I ask you both what you think I should do this semester? I don’t think my parents will be paying for anything and I can’t afford school on my own.”

“Always so practical,” Jaejoong smoothed her hair, kissing it. 

“Leeteuk and Kangin will let you stay here for as long as you need to, forever if necessary,” Yunho said.

“I don’t want to mooch off of them.”

“It’s not mooching,” Jaejoong was quick to insert, “But if you really feel that way, then get a job and help them pay for food or something. Didn’t you teach at that dance school? I bet you can find some kind of job.”

“Yejin, you’re a spectacular dancer,” Yunho murmured, “I know you don’t want to do law.”

“Not really,” Jaejoong could imagine the look spreading across her face in the semi-darkness, “Sorry.”

“You don’t have to apologize. You need to do the things you love, not what your family or your friends, or any one else does. You’re the one who knows what makes you happy.”

Yejin sighed before whispering, “I’m a little sad. You were my favorite teachers.”

They both chuckled, planting kisses in her hair and entwining their hands with hers. “You were my favorite student,” Jaejoong replied.

“I’m sorry Yejin,” Yunho murmured after a moment of thought, “You’re only my second favorite.”

Jaejoong was sure he was glowing a little bit. “You’re not sorry at all. I hope you’re not sorry.”

“Again,” Yunho said, “We will continue this later.” 

His voice made Jaejoong swallow. He made sure that their eyes didn’t meet over Yejin’s head because he thought that if they did he might jump the professor, regardless of Yejin’s presence. 

“We better.”

 

~~~~

 

“Junsu!” Yoochun hissed, “Stop for a second.”

“No,” his boyfriend growled, “we don’t do this often enough; Jaejoong and Yunho are with the kids for once, can we please just enjoy this?”

“Junsu someone’s watching!”

Junsu froze underneath Yoochun. “Like...watching?”

Yoochun pushed Junsu up further against the car door and licked Junsu’s ear, letting the motion naturally carry his head to look out of the window.

“Like with a big camera taking pictures watching,” Yoochun whispered.

Junsu’s hands stopped their caressing, “Are you serious right now? We’re being photographed as we fuck in the back of your car?”

“Yes,” Yoochun breathed, “And as beautiful as the sight of you writhing underneath me is, I don’t particularly want to share that with anyone else.”

“We didn’t even get to writhing,” Junsu grumbled as he straightened his shirt, “Fucker. Count of three we run burst out and jump him...zip your pants perve, otherwise he’ll get a nice shot of things that belong to me.”

“Ha,” Yoochun barked, doing as he was bidden.

Junsu sighed and turned on his stomach. Yoochun whispered three into his ear and Junsu shot out of the car first, his lover following. The bushes shook slightly and Yoochun dove into them, grabbing the first thing he saw which turned out to be an arm. Junsu landed on the person’s back making all three of them grunt as they rolled.

Yoochun hauled the man up by his shirt front and slammed him against a tree.

“Well, shit,” he said, as he saw the man’s face, “I wasn’t expecting you.”


	21. Drama City

Yunho sighed, putting down the darker colored marker and switching back to a pink one, helping a sleepy Sun Hea fill in the hearts Jaejoong had traced out for her.

"Red looks very pretty too, Sun Hea."

"Pink!" the girl insisted, fighting of a yawn as she snatched up the other markers and threw them onto the kitchen floor.

Yunho capped the writing utensil and tried his best to give Sun Hea a stern look. "You can't throw things around, Sun Hea, what if someone trips on those?"

"Pink?" Sun Hea asked, blinking slowly, an innocent pout forming on her lips that Yunho was sure she had learned from Jaejoong.

The professor lifted her from the chair, ignoring her half-hearted squirming, saying, "Help me pick the markers you threw onto the floor and I promise to only use pink."

Sun Hea seemed confused for a minute until Yunho picked up a marker and put it back on the table. She nodded and scooped up the markers, placing them at the opposite end of the table warily. He almost found it cute.

"Up!" She demanded, as Yunho sat back down and he set her gently on his knee, somehow managing to hold onto her and help her color at the same time.

"So domestic," a voice slithered into his ear, and Yunho closed his eyes momentarily as he felt Jaejoong press a kiss to his temple.

"Says the man who cooks large dinners every night and tucks three kids into bed and-"

He chuckled into the second kiss that stopped him mid sentence.

"Speaking of which," Jaejoong murmured, pulling his lips away and placing them on Sun Hea's head. "When when you're done with this, it's your turn to get ready for bed."

Sun Hea jabbered for a bit in a jumble of semi-Korean sounding phrases, rubbing her eyes as she waved for Yunho to continue their project.

"Good girl," Jaejoong kissed her again.

"When did you learn to speak her language?" Yunho asked, ignoring the prodding the girl was inflicting upon his side because he had stopped coloring.

"A long time ago. Finish the heart or she might go apoplectic on you."

Yunho laughed and shaded in the last area of the heart. "There, your heart is done."

Sun Hea was lifted into Jaejoong's arms, immediately curling around him, clutching the sheet of pink hearts in her fist.

"Let's put this on the refrigerator and then we'll get you into a bath, alright?"

She babbled a little, the inchoherency having a suspicious, "I am a genius" undertone as Jaejoong used some silly colored magnets to hold up her work of art.

Yunho laid his head on his arms, finding a small comfort as he heard Jaejoong's voice floating out of the bathroom with the occasional large splash or Sun Hea giggle. He fell asleep quite peacefully dreaming about hearts and Jaejoong and kisses. The dream was wiped from his memory when he woke to a giggling Jaejoong flicking suds onto his face.

"Wet. Ew," he moaned, "Jaejoong!"

"Tables are not for sleeping, Yunho-yah!"

Yunho stuck his tongue out and Jaejoong laughed again, wiping at the wet areas with his hand. "Come sit."

Yunho let himself be led into the living room and curled down onto the cushions, immediately missing his ruined couch as he pillowed his head in Jaejoong's lap. "Miss my couch," he vocalized as Jaejoong ran hands through his boyfriend's hair.

"Me too."

"My cleaning people fixed my apartment up nicely."

"Good. My sister's coming back in a few days so..."

"We're all getting kicked out?"

"Yeah. Probably not right off; she and the kids usually all crash in here the first few days she's back so we'll be fine."

They fell silent and Yunho felt himself wanting to ask where Jaejoong was going to go, even though he was pretty sure he knew the answer.

"Jaejoong...I really...I want you to..."

"I know. But I can't. I need to stay with Changmin."

"Are you sure?"

"Well, would you want him rooming alone?"

"No. Not really."

"I'm sorry. I want to...would love to."

"Me too," Yunho muttered sullenly, wondering how he was going to go back to an empty apartment, and more importantly, an empty bed.

"I'll invade often," Jaejoong promised, "and besides, unless you've decided to retract your offer about me interning with you, then it's not like I won't be spending large amounts of time with you."

Yunho sighed, remembering is his terribly inactive cell phone, save for Jaejoong’s texts.

“What was that sound for? Are you re-thinking your offer? Because I will hit you.”

"Something's just...funny about all of this," Yunho murmured, tracing invisible embroidery on Jaejoong's shirt, only half registering Jaejoong’s attempted threat.

"About what?" Jaejoong questioned, "Yejin?"

"No. About this case."

"Why do you say that?"

"Well...the government hasn't...contacted me after that first phone call."

Jaejoong's hand stilled in Yunho's hair and he wiggled a bit to get a better look at the professor's face.

"Not at all?"

"Not a peep. It's weird."

The TA nodded slowly. "Maybe they fear your lawyer fees," he said, most likely remembering the high amounts Yunho had told his classes that he charged, and Yunho chuckled. "I would fear them."

"You'll never have to pay them," Yunho tweaked his lover's nose, making him splutter. "Seriously, though, fees aside, it's out of the ordinary."

"They haven't been returning your calls?"

"No. I keep getting transferred to voice mails or secretaries."

"Maybe they changed their minds?" Jaejoong asked.

"Wouldn't they tell me though? And wouldn't that be my decision to make?”

“I don’t know,” Jaejoong murmured, going back to stroking Yunho’s hair, “I’m sure you’ll figure it out.”

“I can only do so much when I can’t talk to my client or my witness or anyone,” Yunho moaned, “I swear to God if I resigned for nothing people are going to get hurt.”

“Don’t say that,” Jaejoong admonished, tugging his hair more affectionately than anything, “Technically, you sort of resigned for me. So if you do say that I will have to hurt you.”

“Yes dear,” Yunho mumbled and Jaejoong punched his arm before moving in for a kiss.

"You know," Jaejoong breathed, as they traded breaths leisurely, pulling at each other's lips like they had all the time in the world, "Make out sessions might just be my favorite past time."

Yunho growled playfully, scooting closer, sliding his hand out of Jaejoong's hair and down his back.

"What? You don't like what follows our making out?"

"Of course I do," Jaejoong managed, gasping a little as Yunho's hand slid from his back to his front, "I love what comes after."

“Well, if you'd rather just kiss me..."

Jaejoong let out a growl of his own and swung himself onto Yunho's lap. "I said I love after. Love you," he added, softly, and Yunho's hands caressed anything within reach. The TA ground down against his lover, their mouths swallowing all sort of lovely noises rising from their throats.

"Bedroom," Yunho murmured, trying to lift Jaejoong, "Not on the couch."

They had made it to the base of the stairs, Jaejoong almost falling back against them as his belt was unbuckled, when they heard the door open and then slam shut loudly. 

“This is becoming a horrible trend,” Yunho murmured against Jaejoong’s ear as Yoochun yelled for both of them, sounding thoroughly peeved.

“I agree. It’s been weeks since we haven’t been interrupted.”

“Before we go kill them,” Yunho held out a hand, “Pact to do this more often so that our interrupted to non-interrupted ratio becomes more favorable.”

Jaejoong grinned as he arranged his clothes, taking Yunho’s hand in his own. “Deal.”

 

~~~~

 

Junsu came around the corner, hair sticking up at odd angles, his face flushed, his mouth clenched angrily in the shape of a small frown.

"This had better be terribly important," Yunho grated, crossing his arms.

"Yoochun and I were out...enjoying ourselves...physically..."

"Oh my god, Junsu, seriously..."

Junsu grabbed Jaejoong hand, dragging him into the kitchen. "When Yoochun noticed someone taking pictures of us. So we bolted out of the car and-"

"Taking pictures of you?" Yunho questioned, "Like...pictures of you...doing..."

"Yes," Junsu confirmed, "doing. I wasn't sure who I was expecting, but Yoochun got him and I think I twisted something and I'm going to kill him. But I want you to talk to him first."

Jaejoong peered into the kitchen and his jaw dropped. "Seunghyun?"

"No," the boy quipped, rolling his eyes, "Santa Claus."

Yoochun, who had been standing over him, hands holding him down in the chair, smacked him hard over his head. "Respect your professors. They used to like you."

"Seunghyun?" Jaejoong asked again.

Yunho strolled to the table where the camera was laying and reviewed the pictures. "Lovely photography."

"So the rumors are true?" Seunghyun asked, looking both Yunho and Jaejoong up and down, "You're dating?"

"Why would you think that?" Jaejoong asked sitting in front of Seunghyun.

"Besides the fact that you're so fucking obvious in class? It's late and you're both here together looking thoroughly kissed."

"We were correcting finals if you must know," Yunho replied, "And I shall give you props for finding a topic to easily distract Jaejoong; however, that will not work on me."

Jaejoong blushed.

"Why the hell were you taking photos of them? I thought you were straight. Or were you taking them for someone else?"

Seunghyun glared at him. "I don't have to answer your questions. This isn't a classroom, Professor Jung."

"No," Yunho agreed, "It's not. It's nothing but me wanting to know what's going on. And if you don't tell me, I can make a few phone calls and get you arrested for what you did."

Seunghyun remained silent. Jaejoong was slightly pleased to note that his student brought his gaze to the table, no longer able to look Yunho in the face.

"Seunghyun," Jaejoong said gently, "I'm sure you had a good reason."

"I'm sure he didn't!" Junsu objected. "That was my ass he was photographing!"

"My ass," Yoochun corrected, "I was on top. Your ass was getting-"

"Okay." Yunho interrupted, "Too many details."

Junsu flicked his boyfriend.

"Seunghyun you can tell us. You at least owe Junsu and Yoochun an apology."

"Although an explanation would be nice," Junsu added.

Jaejoong stood up and sat next to Seunghyun, letting his hand rest on the student's knee. "What if it were you? I would think you'd like an apology."

"If nothing else," Yunho added, "Apologize to build up my destroyed image of you. I used to think that you were a wonderful person."

"I told you they used to like you," Yoochun said.

Seunghyun seemed to be slightly deflated by this. Jaejoong scooted closer. "Just apologize," he directed, smiling gently, and Seunghyun's lower lip trembled a little bit.

And then he burst into tears, formal apologies bubbling from his lips mixing with profuse cussing and choked sobs.

"Headache," Yunho murmured, rubbing his temples, "headache, headache, headache."

Jaejoong patted Seunghyun's head awkwardly, cooing until the boy was hiccuping, his head buried in his arms.

"Let's start with me guessing a few things," Yunho said, setting down a cup of tea that he had had time to brew while Seunghyun released his anger. "Someone asked you to photograph them."

Seunghyun nodded.

"And that person was Sangmi's family?"

"Sangmi," Seunghyun affirmed, wiping his nose with his arm prompting Jaejoong to fetch some tissues.

"I wish I was surprised," Yoochun sighed. "But I guess I was sort of expecting that. Tell us what she said. Please."

"She had information on my family," Seunghyun blew his nose into the tissue Jaejoong handed him. "My dad's actually Japanese. He's totally legal but she...she somehow got into the records and make it look like he wasn't. She said if I didn't take pictures of all of you then...she'd tell everyone."

"I really hate her," Junsu said viciously, "I really want to punch her, and I don't ever hit women."

"I'm sorry," Seunghyun moaned, "I don't...I didn't know what to do. I have to go back to her with something."

"You don't have to do anything," Yunho's hand rested on Seunghyun's, "If your father really is legal you're fine because he has copies of those papers and if he's smart, a lawyer also has copies and if he's really smart lots of other people have copies. I don't think Sangmi could get to all of them."

"I wouldn't put it past her," Seughyun grumbled, "But you're probably right."

"Besides," Jaejoong smiled, "Now that you've told us, you have witnesses."

A key sounded in the lock and Changmin popped into the apartment positively glowing. He stopped short after taking in the sight of his disgruntled friends. "What happened now? Should I call Leeteuk?"

"No," Yunho said, "It has nothing to do with Yejin."

"You know where Yejin is?" Seunghyun suddenly looked very hopeful and Yunho raised his eyebrows at the interest. "She's okay, right? Everyone's been so worried."

"She's doing fine now," Jaejoong assured him.

"Can I see her? Is she here?"

"Tell you what. You stay over night on the couch and tomorrow you and I will work on getting the proper documents for your father secure. When we're done, I'll take you to see her."

Seunghyun was holding his breath, staring at Yunho like the professor was made of gold.

"Really?"

"Yes. I've become rather adept at fixing all of Sangmi's messes recently."

"I...thank you."

"Changmin, get the boy some blankets."

"I suppose I can't hit you now," Yoochun mused.

"I'm sorry," Seunghyun said, bobbing his head, "I'm really, really sorry."

"If I can delete the pictures than you're forgiven."

"You can even keep the camera. It's Sangmi's."

Junsu and Yoochun chuckled. "If you'll excuse us," Yoochun draped an arm around his boyfriend, "Bed is calling."

Changmin returned at that moment with a blanket and gave a hard glare to their retreating backs, "I see that look on your face Kim Junsu! I had better be able to sleep tonight!"

The bedding was pulled from his arms and he stormed off, hissing at them under his breath.

"Come on," Jaejoong tugged his student to his feet, "Will your parents worry?"

"I told them I was at a friend's house; it's fine."

"Okay."

Yunho went back upstairs, laughing quietly as he passed Seungyon's room and heard gentle snoring. Seriously, he chided himself, crawling into bed, you are becoming far to used to this.

He didn't wake up when Jaejoong curled around him half an hour later, planting a gentle good night kiss onto his cheek.

 

~~~~

 

When Yoochun woke the next morning, Seunghyun, Yunho, and Jaejoong were all gone. Junsu was sitting in the kitchen with Sun Hea on his lap, helping her eat breakfast.

"Did they already leave to help the pervert?"

"Good morning to you too," Junsu tugged Yoochun down for a kiss, "Very good morning."

"Chun!" Sun Hea waved a sticky hand and Yoochun smiled as he kissed her cheek.

"They left an hour ago."

"Did they get up early or did I sleep in?" Yoochun looked at the clock, surprised to see that it was already ten.

"Both," Junsu answered. "Coffee is on the counter. Get dressed. We have to go shopping."

"What for?"

"It's Sun's Hea's birthday in two days."

Yoochun paused on his trip to the counter. "What?"

"Jaejoong f-o-r-g-o-t." Junsu whispered, spelling the word just incase Sun Hea was smarter than everyone thought, which she most likely was.

"Pink!" Sun Hea yelled, food flying across the room.

Junsu sighed. "Yes, we're getting you a pink cake. But only if you don't throw your food everywhere."

"I good," Sun Hea said immediately, and lowered her hands into her lap, getting breakfast all over her PJs.

"Okay," Junsu said, "I think we're done here."

Yoochun just shook his head and sipped his coffee, grinning over the rim as Sun Hea babbled excitedly; he thought that maybe every fifth word or so was Korean. Maybe.

The doorbell to the apartment rang and Yoochun put his mug down before going to answer it. He was slightly pleased to see Heechul outside the door, tapping his foot in agitation.

"Hel-" Yoochun started, opening the door.

"Where's Yunho?"

"Out saving another student in distress," Yoochun replied, narrowing his brows.

"He's not answering his phone."

"I would imagine it's because he's doing lawyer-like things."

"It's really important that I talk to him. Where is he?"

"I don't know. You look thoroughly distressed.

“It’s about his case. Wait. Did he tell you about that?”

"Jaejoong did."

Heechul crossed his arms, following Yoochun into the kitchen. "I have to see to him before they talk to anyone else."

"Why?"

"Because the case doesn’t exist."

The mug of coffee paused half way to Yoochun's mouth. "Sorry?"

"Yunho told me that he was having a hard time getting into contact with anyone about his case and asked me to poke around. I used to work in the DA's office so I called a few people."

Heechul waved his hand emphatically and Yoochun's brain suddenly clicked as he pieced Heechul's rambling together.

"They didn't call him?"

"No."

Yoochun swore.

"They had no idea what I was talking about. I thought the DA was going to rip my head off for even suggesting that the case be reopened."

Yoochun picked up the apartment phone and dialed Yunho's number, swearing when he reached voicemail.

"I already left him a billion messages."

"Did you try calling Jaejoong?"

"Yes. He probably has fifty missed calls."

Yoochun left a voicemail anyway (I don't care if you have to drag Yunho by his ear, do not let him go anywhere but here after you're done with Seunghyun).

"Why is there so much swearing?"

Changmin entered the kitchen looking bleary eyed.

"We've been fucked,"

"Last time I checked, I was the only one of our group who wasn't getting fucked."

"It's too early for your snark and cynicism."

"You mean snarky. Snark is an imaginary animal."

"Whatever."

"I like you," Heechul chuckled, "I think you and I are going to get along very well."

Changmin cocked his head, finally noticing the professor lurking in the corner. "What's going on? I'm not sure I can handle more drama."

"I think we should petition for Seoul to be renamed Drama City," Yoochun moaned, "Or City of People That Hate Jung Yunho and his Affiliates and Friends."

Changmin ran a hand through his hair as he made his way towards the coffee pot. "You're useless to me, Yoochun."

Yoochun pouted and came up behind Changmin, wrapping his arms around the younger as he tried to pour coffee. "Don't say that. I keep your secrets for you. Like how you sometimes stay at Leeteuk's until two in the morning."

"That's not a secret. Are you going to tell me or do I have to find out for myself? And let go of me. Junsu will think you're cheating on him."

"I did tell you. We're being mind fucked. And you're not my type; Junsu knows that...especially considering that you're straight. By the way, I've been meaning to ask you about Yejin..."

"Don't. Did you forget that I just got out of a four year relationship and I'm still heartbroken over it?"

Yoochun finally released his captive, spinning Changmin around to look at him seriously. "Wait, you are? I thought you had moved onto just being sad."

"Never mind," Changmin pursed his lips.

"No, not never mind. Are you not over her?"

"I am. Doesn't mean I'm not sad, though."

"Heartbroken is not the same thing as sad."

"Just forget it."

"Changmin."

"Are you gonna answer my question or not?" Changmin began to pull out leftovers from last night's dinner.

The phone rang and Yoochun narrowed his eyes before deciding that Changmin and Soo Ae and Yejin could all wait.

"Why do I have thirty messages from Heechul in my voicemail?" Jaejoong didn't wait for Yoochun to say hi.

"You need to come back to the house."

"Yeah I got that. Thirty times. And at least twice as many missed calls. Yunho's been listening to Heechul's voice for a half hour. What the hell?"

"Just come back."

"Yoochun!"

"We'll talk when you get here."

"This had better be fucking important."

"It is."

Jaejoong hung up before anyone could say goodbye.

"He's pissed?" Heechul guessed and Yoochun jumped, having forgotten that the professor was in the room.

"Livid."

"Good. He should be."

"At you," Yoochun added.

Heechul shrugged, "Whatever. The anger will soon be directed appropriately."

"So I'll just wait for them to get back seeing as no one wants to talk to me," Changmin said from where he stood in front of the microwave, chopsticks in hand.

"I want to talk to you. About Yejin."

"And I told you to shove it."

Yoochun poked Changmin's cheek. "You're blushing."

"I don't want another relationship right now."

"You were just complaining about the lack of sex in your life," Heechul pointed out, leaning on the counter.

"I was stating a fact. Not complaining."

"Changmin."

"Yoochun," Changmin returned forcefully, "Drop it."

Yoochun shrugged, "Okay. But just so you know, Jaejoong is getting suspicious."

"Jaejoong knows how I feel."

"And how is that?"

"I already told you: I don't want another relationship. It's not fair to her. Not when I still...it's just not fair."

Yoochun put his arms back around Changmin, ignoring his spluttering. "Which of course means that you like her. Because you don't want to hurt her."

"God leave off already!"

"Okay," Yoochun squeezed Changmin briefly, "But you know, when you want to talk, I'm a wealth of knowledge."

Changmin punched him.


	22. Of Cleaning and Bad Men

Jaejoong woke rather abruptly to screaming. It took him a second to realize that it was Seungyon.

“Wha-“ Yunho half rose from the bed; Jaejoong was already out the door, blowing past Changmin who was blinking thickly from his doorway, baseball bat in hand. 

Seungyon was wrapped in his blankets, curled on his bed, his pillows already wet from snot and tears.

“Hey. Seungie, what is it?”

Jaejoong wasn’t sure what his nephew muttered as he threw his arms around Jaejoong’s neck, so Jaejoong just held Seungyon tight, rocking him until his breathing evened out. The bathroom was a few steps away and Jaejoong wet a face cloth wiped at his cheeks, deciding not to mind as Seungyon blew his nose in it. Jaejoong was thankful that it wasn’t his shirt.

“Dreamt she wasn’t coming back,” Seungyon whispered, sniffing a little as Jaejoong handed him a proper tissue. “Car crash.”

Jaejoong didn’t have to ask who “she” was.

“You’re mother’s flying home tomorrow,” Jaejoong said quietly, “So that’s just silly.”

Seungyon released a shaky breath and Jaejoong picked him up, neither of them complaining that Seungyon was ten and shouldn’t really be picked up and carried anywhere.

“Want to sleep with us?” Jaejoong asked, walking towards his bedroom without waiting for an answer. 

Yunho was half awake, fitting around them both easily, landing clumsy kisses on both their foreheads before falling back to sleep. Jaejoong swallowed slightly as he remembered Yuho’s fury the day before, the way he had raged about his case being false and having no leads whatsoever about who it was that had fed him the lies. Jaejoong had never seen him so upset and he never wanted to again.

Seungyon settled in between Yunho and Jaejoong, snuggling into their warmth, his uncle smoothing away the fear in his heart.

Jaejoong found Yunho’s hand that was resting over Seungyon and linked fingers with it, watching Seungyon fall asleep.

“Jaejoong?” Seungyon murmured.

“What?”

“Thank you for taking such good care of us.”

Jaejoong leant his head a little and kissed Seungyon’s forehead. “Love you,” he whispered.

“I love you too,” Seungyon replied.

 

~~~~

 

Yunho woke to kisses landing somewhat sloppily on his face. He was about to tell Jaejoong to leave him alone when he heard a little giggle that sounded too high to be his boyfriend. He cracked an eye open and saw Ha Neul on the bed beside him, grinning voraciously.

"Jaejae says get up or else!" She announced cheerily.

"I suppose he told you to use any means possible," Yunho grumbled.

Ha Neul's smile widened, obviously very happy about the power bestowed upon her.

"I don't really want to right now," Yunho said, and pulled Ha Neul closer, trapping her in his arms. The last thing he wanted to do was get out of bed and face the mess that had become his life. He just wanted to stay in bed and sleep, preferably with Jaejoong.

"You're gonna be in trouble," Ha Neul wriggled uselessly.

"No I won't," Yunho mumbled, and fell back to sleep.

He next woke to something fluffy hitting his head lightly.

"Up! Up!"

Yunho did not consider a pillow wielding Sun Hea to be much of a threat. He had no idea where Ha Neul went, so he reached out and cuddled Sun Hea like he had her sister. Because she was two, Sun Hea was immediately distracted and she wrapped her little arms around Yunho's neck.

"Good girl," Yunho murmured, and he fell asleep to Sun Hea's gentle breathing.

He wasn't sure how long his respite lasted but the next thing he heard was a gentle clearing of a throat. Seungyon stood uncertainly next to the bed looking decidedly nervous. "Jaejoong says: 'Jung Yunho get your lazy ass of out of bed right this second or there will be hell to pay.'"

"Did he really tell you to say ass and hell or are you paraphrasing?"

Seungyon paled slightly. "Um..."

"If you leave me alone I won't tell," Yunho shifted in the sheets as Sun Hea mumbled dreamily.

"Okay," Seungyon said, "Sleep well."

Yunho congratulated himself on knowing all three of the children so well and fell asleep smiling.

"Jung. Yunho."

A part of him reacted immediately to the displeased voice and his mind scrambled for a million excuses. The other part of him very logically argued that his boyfriend could not order him out of bed that easily. The latter won out.

"Come lay with me," Yunho mumbled, reaching out blindly for Jaejoong.

"If you please, Professor, I would really appreciate your help downstairs."

Yunho made sure that Sun Hea was no longer near him before yanking Jaejoong down on top of him.

"Yunho!"

"Five minutes," Yunho mumbled into Jaejoong's neck, "Five minutes then I promise to do whatever you ask without complaint."

"I'm going to count."

"S'fine," Yunho felt accomplished. Apparently he could still get people to do what he wanted. It was a wonderful realization.

"Love you," Yunho murmured, finding skin to touch, "Love you so much,"

"Sap," Jaejoong returned, but his mouth was smiling when Yunho successfully managed to kiss it. "You are so going to pay for letting me deal with house full of kids all by myself."

"Three is not a house full, you've done it all summer."

"Three plus Changmin and Yejin. That equals a house full."

Yunho pulled away, finally awake. "Why is Yejin here?"

"Changmin."

Yunho raised an eyebrow.

"Don't ask him about it. He'll bite you."

"Did he bite you? Tell me where; I'll kiss it."

Jaejoong shoved him. "Nice try. Get up. It's been more than five minutes."

"Has not."

"Do not add to the number of kids I have to deal with right now, oh Pouter Extraordinaire. I need another sensible head."

"Where's Yoochun?"

"Moving his stuff into Junsu's dorm room and then going to pick up my sister at the airport. Besides which, when they’re together and don’t have to be responsible, they aren’t exactly sensible.”

Yunho sighed. "Make it up to me later?"

Jaejoong sniffed. "What's to make up? You're the one that's not listening to me."

He seemed terribly unaffected by the whole thing but the small smile shot over his shoulder told Yunho that, yes, he would be rewarded later for his troubles. That, the professor thought, would have gotten him out of bed a long time ago.

 

~~~~~

 

After pulling on a t-shirt and some sweats that Yunho was sure Jaejoong would cut into rags given the opportunity, the professor trudged his way downstairs. There was mug of coffee sitting on the countertop for him, still steaming.

"You're my hero," Yunho said, grabbing the mug with one arm and using his other to wrap around Jaejoong's middle.

"I'm cleaning," Jaejoong pointed out, trying to move his arm.

"I'm loving," Yunho responded and proceeded to sip his caffeine over Jaejoong's shoulder.

"Pfft, this is not loving. This is annoying."

Yunho set the coffee cup down, holding Jaejoong tight in both arms. "Allow me to demonstrate the difference between loving and annoying."

"Yunho," Jaejoong warned, but he was screeching as Yunho blew gently into his ear, tickling his sides- "Okay," he gasped, "Okay, loving. I get it."

"No," Yunho corrected, "That was annoying."

He turned Jaejoong around and kissed him soundly, only pulling away after Jaejoong moaned quietly against his mouth. "That's loving."

"Loving," Jaejoong nodded faintly, closing his eyes, letting Yunho run fingers through his hair, “Differences have been noted, professor.”

“I hope you payed close attention. There will be a test later.”

Jaejoong chuckled into another kiss.

"Keep the kitchen a PG area, please and thank you," Changmin's voice said from the doorway.

"Kissing is a PG activity," Jaejoong pouted, and to as if to prove his lover's statement correct, Yunho leant in to kiss the offending frown quickly. "See? PG."

"Kissing while moaning throatily is not PG," Changmin said.

"I wasn't moaning!" Jaejoong protested and Yunho coughed into his hand. "Was I?"

"A little," Yunho grinned, and then added, "It was nice," as Jaejoong shot him a dark look.

"Is your stuff all packed?" Jaejoong asked, going back to his stovetop scrubbing. Changmin leant against the door frame.

"Yes. Yoochun just called me; he and Junsu are at the airport."

Yunho hoisted himself up onto the newly scoured counter, claiming his coffee once more. "Why didn't he call Jaejoong?"

"Well, he thought you'd be too busy to answer your phone," Changmin said, "Although, I highly doubt he thought you'd be busy with each other."

Jaejoong turned to glare at his friend.

"I'm just saying," Changmin defended.

"Well don't. If you have free time then you can start cleaning the bathroom."

"I don’t,” Changmin said, "I'm going to take Sun Hea and go pick out balloons."

Yunho downed the rest of his drink, "How about you go clean the bathroom and I'll take Sun Hea out. That way, you get to stay here with Yejin."

Changmin's face was thunderous at best, though Yunho could almost detect a hidden glimmer of hope in his student's eyes. Or was it happiness?

"Fine," Changmin said, "Sun Hea's currently throwing her clothes around her room. Have fun."

Yunho chuckled as he pictured the mess. He rinsed his mug out and put it into the dishwater, earning him an angry hiss from Jaejoong.

"You couldn't take five seconds to wash it and put it away?"

Yunho kissed his temple and Jaejoong snorted.

The professor pulled on some actual clothes before venturing into Sun Hea's bedroom. Yejin was following Sun Hea around, trying to pick up the clothes the little girl threw. Sun Hea just kept throwing clothes and Yunho stared in wonderment, trying to think of where she had managed to get so many outfits.

The answer came easily. Jaejoong. 

"Sun Hea," he said, sounding more amused than he did stern.

Yejin looked terribly relieved and smiled at him.

"What are you doing, honey? You and I have to go buy some decorations."

"Dress!" Sun Hea insisted, emptying another drawer.

Yunho knew the one she meant. "Jaejoong's washing it right now, you need to find something else to wear."

"No," Sun Hea pouted, but she had stopped walking around her room and now stood in the middle of her created chaos looking very sad.

"What about your other pink dress? I think that one looks really good on you. Junsu really likes it to."

"Su likes it?" She asked, cocking her head.

"And Changmin," Yunho added, hoping that if he mentioned both of her favorites she might be more easily persuaded.

She chewed her bottom lip for a bit before nodding, "Kay."

"Now we have to find it, help me pick up-" he trailed off as Sun Hea skipped over to her bed and pulled out the pink dress she had worn to Ha Neul's recital. "And of course you know exactly where you threw it," Yunho grumbled.

Sun Hea beamed.

"You need to pick up this danger zone you made before we go anywhere."

It turned out that Sun Hea was something of a little dictator when it came to her clothes. Fifteen minutes into trying to understand her directions, Jaejoong appeared in the doorway. "What is going on in here? You should have left already.”

"Ask her," Yunho said, from behind a mountain of unfolded shirts.

"Sun Hea," Jaejoong said severely, "We just cleaned this morning, why is it a mess again?"

"Su likes it!" Sun Hea held up the pink fabric hopefully.

"I put that out on your bed for you to change into earlier. There was no reason for you to empty your closets."

Sun Hea kept her very innocent expression. Jaejoong shut his eyes momentarily looking slightly frustrated and Yunho wondered if he could use that as an excuse for more loving. “Get dressed, and then when you get back we’re going to clean this again so your mother doesn’t have a fit. And we’re going to make a rule about how many clothes you can take out in a day.”

“No rules,” Sun Hea said, squinching up her nose, “Yuck.”

“Well, you’ve obviously proven that you need one. Now get dressed.”

Yunho gave a mental sigh as Sun Hea sulked while allowing him to slide on her dress. “You can go help Changmin,” Yunho told Yejin, “He’s cleaning the bathrooms. Supposedly. You’re even welcome to yell at him if he isn’t.”

“Okay,” Yejin said, grinning.

 

~~~~~

 

Jaejoong heard Sun Hea babbling as she came down the stairs, held securely in Yunho’s arms. He looked up as they came into the kitchen; he wasn’t sure if he should be offended or not when she didn’t immediately stretch out her arms for him.

“She’s mad at you,” Yunho informed him.

“Rules,” Sun Hea said moodily.

“Well if you’re good when you’re out and if you listen to me properly when you get back, maybe they won’t happen,” Jaejoong tapped her nose, “Okay?”

“Softie,” Yunho scoffed.

“I didn’t hear you helping me earlier. I bet you cozied right up to her, didn’t he?” Jaejoong shot Sun Hea a look. She nodded sagely, like she understood perfectly. 

Jaejoong kissed Yunho’s frown. “The store down the street has some balloons and streamers. You should be able to find some pink ones there.”

“Pink!”

Yunho sighed and nodded. Jaejoong held back a giggle as he heard Yunho say, “One pair of shoes, Sun Hea, you can’t wear two pairs at a time.”

After hearing the door shut, Jaejoong went back to sweeping under cupboard overhangs that he had neglected all summer (because as much as he nagged everyone else about it, he hated cleaning.) He had about two minutes of peace before Seungyon came barreling into the kitchen holding a stack of books in front of him. It looked precarious and Jaejoong’s brain was immediately filled with several unpleasant outcomes of his nephew’s running.

“Tell Ha Neul she can’t throw them away!”

“What?” Jaejoong asked.

“She said you told her to clean and she started throwing my books away! Tell her she can’t!”

Jaejoong held back his frustrated sigh and walked upstairs. Ha Neul was indeed trying to fit not just books, but most of Seungyon’s possessions into his miniature trash can. “Ha Neul. Sweetie. What are you doing?”

“Cleaning,” Ha Neul said determinedly, attempting to pull Seungyon’s lamp from his desk. “It’s all gross.”

Jaejoong noted that Seungyon’s stuffed animals remained untouched. “Ha Neul, just because you don’t like it, it doesn’t mean that Seungyon disli- Ha Neul!” Jaejoong saw the lamp teeter dangerously and just managed to pull her out of it’s path before hit the floor and shattered.

Ha Neul thankfully did not shriek; Jaejoong’s ear was very glad.

He stepped around the sharp pieces, “You are not allowed to clean his room, Ha Neul.”

He heard a whimper. “Sorry. Didn’t mean to break it.”

“Oh- sweetie, I didn’t...I’m not mad at you for breaking it, okay? But you can’t throw people’s possessions away without asking them first. Seungyon likes all those things.”

“Okay,” she said quietly. 

“Did you already clean your room, pick up all your clothes?”

She nodded against her shoulder as she walked down the stairs. “Why don’t you go see if Changmin and Yejin need help?”

“They don’t like me,” Ha Neul stated.

“What? Of course they like you. Why would you say that?”

“They don’t pay any ‘tention to me. They just sneak glances at each other.”

Jaejoong couldn’t hold back a laugh. “Well, you can tell both of them that I said that they’re to listen to you, okay? They’re not allowed to make goo-goo eyes at each other. You go make sure they’re cleaning properly. And by cleaning I don’t mean throwing away things you don’t like.”

Ha Neul pouted for a minute and then nodded, “Okay. What are goo-goo eyes?”

“Ask Changmin,” Jaejoong whispered, wishing desperately he could see the look on his friend’s face as he tried to maneuver out of answering the question, “And tell him he’s gonna be in big trouble if he doesn’t give you an answer.”

Already high on her power trip, Ha Neul marched towards the bathroom. On his way to clean up the mess with broom and dustpan, Jaejoong did a little dance, inwardly, as he heard Changmin’s choked exclamations from the bathroom. Oh how he was going to miss the kids.

The doorbell rang before he could even start to pick up the pieces of the broken lamp. 

“I got it!” Seungyon shouted and something told Jaejoong that maybe that wasn’t the best idea.

Having learned to trust this strange instinct that had developed over the summer, he dropped his broom and catapulted down the stairs, almost smacking into Yejin who was following Seungyon curiously. “Seungyon don’t-“

But he had, and Jaejoong stopped mid-dash as Yejin’s cousin stepped into the mudroom. Seungyon jumped back a couple paces, somehow sensing, perhaps due to Jaejoong’s yelling, that he had just done a very stupid thing.

“Hi Yejinnie,” He said sweetly.

Jaejoong’s mouth went dry for a second as he heard Yejin squeak; he glanced behind him and saw Yejin gripping onto Seungyon tightly.

“What the hell are you doing here?” Jaejoong growled.

There was a bump and a swear from the general direction of the bathroom and Jaejoong shifted in time to see Changmin leap out of the doorframe looking positively ferocious. Yejin hid behind his back immediately. Seungyon didn’t move, looking positively terrified. Apparently he had deduced more of the situation than Jaejoong had thought.

“I went to the doctor’s house but no one was there, can I come in?”

“No,” Jaejoong and Changmin said simultaneously.

“How courteous.”

“You are not welcome in his house, get out,” Changmin said, tightening his grip on Yejin’s arms that were around his middle.

“Yejinnie we miss you, we want you back,” the man said, ignoring Changmin, “Please come back with me.”

“No,” Yejin said, her chin trembling.

“Come on,” the man continued, stepping forward, “Your mother’s so upset.”

I’ll bet she is, Jaejoong thought viciously, stepping in man’s path. “You’re not wanted; you’re trespassing. I suggest you leave before I yell for the police officers that are outside right now.”

The man’s gaze slid up and down Jaejoong’s body. Jaejoong wasn’t sure if he was being sized up or looked at like a piece of meat. Either way he did not appreciate it and he wanted to punch the man in the face even more. He wished that Yunho hadn’t gone to buy decorations.

“Yejin,” the man said, and Jaejoong did not like the man’s tone. At all.

“The door is behind you,” Jaejoong said in his best icy lawyer voice.

Scowling the man retreated. “This isn’t over. We’ll get you back.”

Jaejoong locked the door firmly behind him, making a mental note to yell at the officers outside later on before turning back to Yejin who had already collapsed into tears. Changmin staggered a little from the weight of her before deciding to plop down onto the floor. 

“I’m sorry,” Seungyon whispered, “I’m sorry I let him in.”

“It’s not your fault,” Jaejoong said, patting his head, “Don’t worry about it, okay?”

Seungyon nodded, though he still looked skeptical.

“Go keep an eye on Ha Neul for me?” Jaejoong asked, realizing that she had been unsupervised for a small period of time.

The boy sniffed, wiping his face, and walked away, calling out to Ha Neul quietly.

Jaejoong sunk down to the ground and soothed Yejin’s back while she sobbed into Changmin’s shoulder. Jaejoong pretended not to notice the tears in Changmin’s eyes; there were some things that were not okay to remember for the sake of teasing. When Yejin started to have a hard time breathing, Jaejoong started to worry. “Hey,” he whispered, “No one’s going to take you away. I promise.” 

The sight of her broke his heart. Her confidence that had appeared in class had long since shattered and he didn’t envy Leeteuk or Kangin the job of whispering it back into her every night. “Do you want me to call Leeteuk?” he asked quietly and was slightly relieved when she managed to nod. He felt no jealousy as he stood to call his friend. She needed someone like Leeteuk and Jaejoong suspected that she was also good for the pediatrician.

He tried their home first and was pleasantly surprised when Kangin picked up the phone. It didn’t take him long to learn that they had actually been home and seen the cousin approaching the house. They had called the police but the man had left before anything could be done. Jaejoong hung up with promises of very fast driving ringing in his ear.

He was on his way back to the pile of Yejin Changmin Tears on the floor when he heard a key in the lock and Yunho walked in with Sun Hea perched on his shoulders, bag held in his hand. “Why is the door lo-” He took in the sight of Yejin sobbing and Changmin patting her back and Jaejoong looking ready to kill something before asking, “What happened?”

“Unwanted visitor.”

Yunho set down the bag and lifted Sun Hea from his shoulders and onto the floor. “Why she sad?” Sun Hea asked, immediately running to Jaejoong.

He met Yunho’s eyes over her head and said softly, “A very bad man came and scared her.”

“You yell at him?” Sun Hea asked seriously.

“I did,” Jaejoong said, holding her tight as Yunho bent down to whisper to Yejin, “I gave him a good talking-to.”

“Gone for good,” Sun Hea said, and Jaejoong imagined she probably did think his lectures could banish anyone.

“She’s hyperventilating,” Changmin said, and Jaejoong decided that even if Kangin was speeding he was still going to call Leeteuk. “God, Yejin, calm down, please breathe. Stop scaring me,” Changmin pulled her closer, “Please breathe, Yejinnie, slowly.”

Jaejoong almost cried with relief as Seungyon walked back into the room carrying a petrified Ha Neul. “Sun Hea go and stand with your brother,” Jaejoong directed, and the little girl took off, clutching tightly at her brother’s leg.

“Jaejoong? We’re almost there.”

“Leeteuk, she’s hyperventilating, tell me what to do becauseshesgoingtostopbreathingsoon.”

“Put the phone up to her ear so I can talk to her. And Kangin’s going to call Yunho to tell him what to do.”

Jaejoong was slightly calmed at the sound of Leeteuk’s professional voice. He heard Leeteuk say hyperventilation to Kangin and by the time Jaejoong held the phone to Yejin’s ear, Yunho was listening intently to Kangin’s instructions. 

Yejin was clutching at Changmin’s shirt as she tried to breathe and cry and scream all at the same time. Changmin had started singing and in a minute, under whatever Leeteuk was whispering to her and Yunho’s gentle directions for breathing, she started to get lungfuls of air.

It was only another five minutes before Leeteuk burst in through the door and pushed everyone out of the way as he yanked Yejin close to him and Kangin. She calmed in a matter of moments and Jaejoong was sure this time that he was crying tears of relief.

 

~~~~

 

Fifteen minutes after Leeteuk’s arrival and Yejin was laying in Changmin’s former bed with Leeteuk wrapped around her and Kangin close by, monitoring her condition (or so he said, Jaejoong was more inclined that it was due to his overprotective tendencies.) Yunho had paced for the entire time, clearly deep in thought. 

“Okay,” he finally said, “Come on, I need some support.”

“What?” Jaejoong asked. 

Yunho pulled him into the bedroom and then crouched beside the bed, stroking Yejin’s hair before whispering “Yejin, I need you to listen to me for a minute, okay? Seriously.”

Yejin nodded.

“If...if you are okay with it, I can go down the station and get a restraining order on all your family members.”

“It’s a good idea,” Leeteuk said into her ear, “This can’t keep happening, Yejin.”

“But,” Yunho said, “You’re going to have to file a complaint, an accusation. You need to tell the police what’s happening.”

Her lip started to tremble and Jaejoong could sense another panic attack coming on. “Yunho...”

“You don’t have to be frightened,” Yunho soothed, “There’s nothing scary about it. In fact, I can tell them as your lawyer, but you have to write it out and sign it. Can you do that?”

“I...” Yejin started, “I don’t...want to be so troublesome.”

“You’re not,” Yunho said, “You’re not at all. There’s nothing I’d rather be doing than helping you. I want to see the people that hurt you put behind bars. I can do that if you’ll let me.”

“We all want to help you,” Leeteuk whispered.

Jaejoong walked closer to the bed and wrapped his arms around Yunho, saying, “You’ve got the best lawyer in Seoul offering you his services for free, Yejin. And you’ve got all of us to keep you safe. I’d say it’s a pretty good deal.”

Yejin looked around the room. “Okay,” she whispered finally, and Jaejoong wanted to scream for joy, “you can do it.”


	23. Homecoming

"UMMA!"

Jaejoong couldn't hold back his grin as he leaned on the counter, watching his sister get clobbered by three screeching children. They all talked at once ("Love you! Missed you! Guess what I was- Did you die? -sooo good! Pink! Love you so much!") and she cooed and kissed and smoothed their hair as Junsu and Yoochun stumbled around her with luggage.

A pair of arms snuck around Jaejoong's waist, and he smiled faintly as Yunho whispered, "You did so well. I love you so much."

Jaejoong squeezed the hands folded over his stomach and leaned back, waiting patiently as mother and children squished the life out of one another.

After a few minutes, she pushed them away, "Let me say hi to everyone else!", and Jaejoong pulled her into a tight hug. 

"I love you," he said, "and I love your children, but I am so glad that you're back."

She laughed into his shoulder, squeezing harder, "Me too." She kissed his cheek and then proceeded to give Yunho a once over before drawling, "You must be the professor."

"That would be me," Yunho acknowledged.

"I'm glad Jaejoong caught you, finally. I was sick of hearing about it all."

"Noona," Jaejoong muttered, blushing furiously.

Yunho laughed and reached out, hugging Jaejoong around his waist again, "I'm glad he caught me too, Jihye."

"Aren't you younger than me? You can call me noona, everyone else does."

"Umma, pink dec'layshions," Sun Hea had apparently decided that it was time for more attention and she tugged urgently on her mother's hand.

"Listen to you and your half-sentences!" Jihye cooed, swinging Sun Hea up, "I hope you haven't been learning any bad words!"

"I good," Sun Hea insisted.

Jaejoong met his sister's eyes as she asked, "Were they?"

“Mostly,” Jaejoong reported, thinking of a certain incident involving orange jello.

"Oh dear," she murmured, "Well, we can talk about it later," and kissed Sun Hea's temple. "Did you get a cake for your birthday?"

"Pink one!"

"Good."

The joy on his sister's face was probably one of the best things he had seen in a long time. He felt his throat constrict a little bit, and took a deep breath to calm himself.

"No sad!" he heard Sun Hea demand.

Jaejoong gave her his best watery smile, "I'm not sad, precious. I'm really happy."

Sun Hea glared at him suspiciously as her mother said "You tell him, love. No sadness in this house."

"I'm happy!" Jaejoong insisted, "Go...unpack or something."

"Can't believe I'm getting kicked out of my own kitchen," Jihye sniffed, but she pulled all three kids (plus Yoochun, Junsu, and bags) up the stairs, listening to stories of the summer pour from her children.

"C'mere," Yunho whispered, and spun Jaejoong around, holding his tight, "Liar."

"Not lying," Jaejoong muttered, but he knew his tears were giving his thoughts away.

"You are spectacular. You managed a whole household and taught classes all by yourself and saved several students from distress all at once. And you loved me. That's kind of a feat in and of itself."

Jaejoong laughed weakly. "Sun Hea...I don't think she understood me when I said I was leaving."

"I think she did. But she's two. Three,” Yunho corrected with a little laugh, “she doesn't want to think about things that will make her sad."

"I don't want to make her sad," Jaejoong whispered, "I don't...I want to be there to hold her when she has nightmares, I want to kiss her when she wakes up and make her food and tell her off when she does stupid things and-"

"No one said you had to stop," Yunho soothed, "Those are your things now just as much as they are your sister’s.”

"I got used to this," Jaejoong whispered, "I got used to...you. Being here. With you." And that was really crux of the matter, he thought, as he heard the confession slip from his mouth.

Yunho raised his head and kissed him chastely. "Me too," he murmured, "Let's talk about it later, okay? Right now you have hungry mouths to feed which you are still semi-responsible for and a birthday girl who demands the attention from all of us. Now that your sister's back you can spoil them all rotten and not feel guilty."

"You're right," Jaejoong wiped at his eyes and blew his nose, tossing the tissue into the trash and turning towards the stove.

"I know," Yunho responded, and received a thwap of a towel on his backside as he sauntered away, "I'm going to pay you back for that."

"I'll be looking forward to it," Jaejoong grinned, a dangerous gleam in his eye, and he turned back to perfecting his frosting before Yunho could respond.

 

~~~~~

 

Jaejoong had forgotten how spontaneous his sister could be. Somehow, she had managed to talk him into dragging everyone out for dinner. He and Yunho had spent a good hour or so catching her up with everything that had happened, and she insisted that they call Leeteuk and Kangin so that she could meet them. “And Yejin! I really want to meet her and squeeze her tight. I’ll pay, we can celebrate, no one has to cook anymore!”

Jaejoong had complained that they already had a cake (made by himself because no one had had a cake that Sun Hea had liked,) but he could only pout as his sister cooed over him, promising that they would eat it.

“Don’t say I didn’t warn you,” Jaejoong muttered.

 

~~~~~

 

Changmin was elated. He had found out something semi-spectacular that day and when Jaejoong had told him to call Yejin and arrange the dinner, he couldn’t help but add, “I have something to tell you. At the restaurant.”

“Something good?” She asked.

“Yes,” Changmin breathed, feeling giddy, “I’m really excited about it.”

“Then I’m excited too."

They shared a small laugh. “I’ll see you later,” he said.

“’Kay.”

The dinner was something of a blur for Changmin; between Yejin’s close proximity and his elation over his big news he felt like he was high. Although, it could have been the alcohol. He wasn’t sure how many drinks Yoochun had pushed at him. 

Changmin remembered making fun of Yejin for ordering the same odd dish that Junsu did and refused to try it, even when she held up a bit of it in between her chopsticks for him. 

He was also very aware of the smug looks Jaejoong had been shooting him all night as his friend went back and forth between helping Ha Neul and feeding Yunho. Changmin was sure he was going to get pounced on when they got home.

When Ha Neul escaped from the table when Jaejoong was busy stealing a kiss from Yunho and half the table got up to chase her around the restaurant and apologize to the employees, Changmin saw his opportunity.

He double-checked to make sure that no one was looking before latching onto Yejin’s hand and pulling her around the corner into a semi-secluded area near the bathrooms. 

“It’s been killing me all night,” Yejin said, “What’s this revelation?”

“It’s not a revelation, it’s more...news. Well, it’s both I guess. I mean...do you trust me?”

Yejin smiled, “You know I do.”

Changmin felt his heart flip; it hadn’t done that in so long. Oddly, he found that he had missed the sensation. It took him a minute to gather his thoughts. Yejin looked beautiful, smiling up at him expectantly and...what was he supposed to be telling her again?

Completely tossing out his planned lines, Changmin took a breath to steady himself before grasping Yejin and tugging her close. “I was-“ he started, and then as her vanilla scented...shampoo, perfume, he didn’t even know what, wafted around him he decided that he had nothing good to say and bent his head a little to kiss her.

 

~~~~~

 

Jaejoong was playing idly with Yunho’s hand, only half listening to his sister scold Ha Neul for her antics. Jaejoong turned his head as he caught a flicker of movement and watched Seungyon sidled up, having returned from the bathroom.

“What is it?” Jaejoong asked when Seungyon tugged on his arm.

"I saw them kissing," he whispered, like it was the juiciest bit of gossip ever.

"Who?" Jaejoong wondered when his nephew had started to care about kissing. It was a little unnerving, considering how mature Seungyon was already. He really didn't need to be thinking about kissing.

"Changmin," Seungyon said quietly.

Jaejoong blinked at his nephew, "Changmin and..."

"Yejin," Seungyon said even softer.

It took a minute to process. And when it did, it took all of Jaejoong's mental ability to not shout with joy. "Thank you for telling me," he whispered into his nephew's hair squeezing him tight.

"You've been waiting for it to happen," Seungyon shrugged.

"Observant as always," Jaejoong grinned, and he swore that his heart had never been so happy. Except for when he had first kissed Yunho; nothing would ever top that experience.

"Good news?" Yunho voice asked, sliding into his ear in a way that made Jaejoong's eyes fall shut.

"The best," Jaejoong said, "It deserves a celebratory kiss."

Yunho wasted no time in complying, and Jaejoong’s brain was a bit fuzzy afterward. He sure sure he only came out of his stupor because Yejin came back to the table. Jaejoong thought she didn’t look as happy as she should have. She buried herself in between Jaejoong and Yunho, the professor automatically wrapping an arm around her.

Jaejoong watched with increasing perplexity as Yejin leaned into him, closing her eyes.

"Are you okay?" Yunho asked.

"I'll be fine," Yejin whispered.

"Not what he asked," Jaejoong said quietly, thinking that Seungyon must have seen wrong because if they had kissed, then in no way would Yejin be so unhappy.

Before Yejin could respond, Jaejoong saw Changmin walking back to the table, an indecipherable look on his face. Jaejoong raised an eyebrow at him but Changmin only smiled briefly.

"I have an announcement," he said, "I'm leaving."

"Can you drop Yejin off?" Leeteuk asked, "Kangin and I have a quick errand to run."

Changmin stared at Leeteuk for a second before sitting himself down by Ha Neul. "No, I mean...I'm leaving Korea. I applied for an internship in Japan and I got my acceptance letter this morning.” 

There was a moment of silence before Yunho whooped. “Changmin, that’s incredible!”

No, it’s not! Jaejoong thought. 

“I’m so jealous!” Yoochun whined, “Changmin that is like the best news I’ve heard all week!”

It is not. How is this good?

“You only tell us just now?” Junsu was practically screeching, “I’m so offended!”

“I didn’t know if I was going to get it or not.”

“God, they really do things slow over there, don’t they?”

“Not really,” Changmin smiled weakly, “I just applied really late.” He looked at Yunho sheepishly, “Um...I sort of need you to write a letter for me. I told them you couldn’t really do it a few weeks ago because of personal reasons.”

“They believed you?” Yunho asked.

“Yeah well, apparently you made yourself an international name with your case. That was enough for them.”

Jaejoong tried not to be impressed. He glanced at Yejin and bit his lip as he saw her forced smile. Is it really forced, he wondered, or is my judgement being clouded by something I want to see? Maybe Yejin really is happy for him.

“Are you happy?” Jaejoong whispered to her as Junsu and Yoochun continued to yell in excitement and Sun Hea bounced up and down on her mother’s lap demanding to know why everyone was so excited.

“Yes,” Yejin responded, “Very.”

“Honestly?”

Her smile faltered for a second.

“That’s what I thought,” Jaejoong said, and pulled her away from his very inconsiderate boyfriend. He wasn’t too sure, but if Yunho did not do something useful very soon, the professor would be sleeping on the couch.

“Jaejoong,” Yunho prodded him, and Jaejoong looked up to see Changmin looking expectantly at him, “Why do you look upset? Aren’t you pleased?” Definite couch time on Jung Yunho’s horizon, Jaejoong was sure of it.

“As long as it’s what you want,” he said. 

He saw Yunho look back and forth between the two of them. “Did I miss something?” The professor whispered as Kangin and Leeteuk barraged Changmin with questions (so is that why your elective isn’t with me?). “You seem upset. This is really good for him. He needs this; he needs a fresh start.”

Jaejoong watched Changmin started to glow a little bit. “I know,” he muttered.

“What is it?” Yunho asked, and Jaejoong cursed inwardly because Yunho had just effectively wheedled his way back into the bedroom without even realizing he had left it in the first place.

Jaejoong met his eyes and patted Yejin on her head. Yunho wouldn’t have known that they had kissed, but the professor had certainly noticed the attraction that had been blooming.

“Ah,” Yunho whispered, and bent his head to kiss Yejin on the forehead, “Don’t worry,” he whispered to her as Sun Hea started to cry because leaving meant she wasn’t going to see Changmin for a long time, “You’ll always have us.”

“You’re not single,” Yejin hissed, “Or straight.”

Jaejoong sensed the tears before they came and he pulled Yejin away from the table yelling that she had a stomach ache over his shoulder as his sister asked why they were getting up so fast. He forgot that there were two doctors at the table with them and when Leeteuk let himself into the handicapped bathroom (conveniently labeled for both genders) Jaejoong blamed Ha Neul. She had used that excuse on him one too many times.

“What’s wrong?” Leeteuk asked, reaching out for her, “Yejin?”

Yejin’s chin trembled a little and Jaejoong swallowed hard as she wrapped her arms around Leeteuk and started to sob.

“What hurts?” he asked.

“My heart.” Yejin heaved, and Jaejoong watched the realization sink into the doctor’s features.

“Oh, baby,” Leeteuk whispered, “I’m so sorry. I didn’t even think...”

“He kissed her,” Jaejoong said.

“He...what?”

“I thought he liked me,” Yejin moaned.

“He does,” Jaejoong assured her, “Trust me, he does. He’s just..actually I have no idea what’s going through his head. I’m going to kill him when we get back. Full out murder. With dull cutlery.”

There was a gentle knock on the door before Kangin poked his head inside the room. “What’s wrong?”

“Food poisoning,” Leeteuk said, without missing a beat. Kangin tried to move further in, looking terribly concerned but Leeteuk waved him off, “It’s already too crowded in here. I’ve got it.”

Kangin nodded, “Maybe I should check Junsu. He ordered the same thing.”

Leeteuk smiled, “I think we should leave.”

Kangin nodded, “I’ll get the car once I make sure Junsu’s not going to hurl all over the table.”

Once the door clicked shut, Yejin lost no time in reducing herself back to tears. Jaejoong just stood there, soothing her back as Leeteuk held her close. 

“It’s not totally hopeless,” Leeteuk said, “He did tell you before everyone else. And he kissed you so...even though it was a bastard way of showing it, I’m pretty sure he cares.”

For some reason she found that funny and the three of them giggled.

“Poor Junsu,” Yejin whispered, “He must be scared stiff.”

“Don’t worry about him,” Jaejoong assured her, “If he knew the whole story I’m sure he’d be more than willing to act as a scapegoat.”

“I think we’ll not tell Kangin for now,” Leeteuk said, “Because if he knew he might punch Changmin.”

“Who says I’m not going to do that?” Jaejoong asked.

“Don’t,” Yejin pleaded, and Jaejoong found himself promising that he wouldn’t.

 

~~~~~

 

Jaejoong buckled his nieces into their car seats and then directed Changmin to the front of his sister’s van. “Don’t get too cozy when we arrive home,” he hissed, “I have several, strong words that I have to say to you.”

He slid into the backseat with Yunho and Seungyon, positively seething.

He barely noticed Seungyon falling asleep against his shoulder or Yunho leaving a gentle hand on his thigh. When they finally got back, he spit Changmin with a glare and said, “Bedroom. Five minutes.”

He didn’t wait for an acknowledgement as he helped Ha Neul out of the car. “Is Changmin in trouble?” she asked.

“Heaps,” Jaejoong muttered, “Heaps and heaps.”

“Worse than Seungie ruining Chun’s computer?”

“What?” His sister asked, spinning around, and raising a formidable eyebrow. 

Jaejoong sighed, “No, probably not quite that bad.”

“Oh, this does not sound good,” Jihye said, “I’m already not impressed.”

“Later,” Jaejoong said firmly, and kissed his sister’s kids goodnight, distractedly, before yanking Changmin away.

“Jaejoong come on,” Yunho entreated him, making sure the door to their bedroom was shut securely, “This is a good opportunity for him, you don’t- Jae!”

Jaejoong had managed to whack Changmin over the head with his pillow twice before Yunho grabbed him, “Jaejoong!”

“How could you do something like that?”

“It’s just an internship!” Yunho sounded shocked.

“That’s not the problem!”

“Then what is it?”

“He kissed her!”

Yunho looked back and forth between a depressed Changmin and a livid Jaejoong, “What?”

“You kissed Yejin and then you told her that you’re leaving,” Jaejoong accused, pointing a shaking finger in Changmin’s direction, “That has to be-“

“What?”

“-the lowest-“

“You kissed her?”

“-dirtiest-“

“And then you told her you were going to be in Japan for a year?”

“Yes. Okay, yes!” Changmin was yelling, “I did!” He fell back against the bed covers, his hand running through his hair. “I didn’t...I didn’t mean to do it.”

“Like hell you didn’t. God, Changmin, she’s been through so much! How could you?”

“I...I was just going to tell her that I was leaving but...she was just there, in front of me, and I couldn’t remember what I wanted to say because she’s so...” Changmin swallowed and Jaejoong felt his anger dissipate as tears welled in his friend’s eyes, “she’s so beautiful and she smelled so good and I just...I stopped thinking.”

“You kissed Yejin?” Yunho asked, still confused.

“No one was supposed to find out,” Changmin’s face was buried into pillows.

“Seungyon saw you.”

“Tattle tale. God, he will spill about anything to better his image.”

Jaejoong laughed, the rest of his tension leaving him as he crawled up next to Changmin to wipe away his tears.

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about it,” Changmin whispered, and Jaejoong knew that he wasn’t talking about the kiss. “I didn’t think there was that big a chance of me getting it. Now you’re roommate less and...I’m sorry.”

“I don’t care about any of that. I am happy for you, this is awesome. You don’t have to worry about me.”

“He wanted to ditch you anyway so he could move in with me,” Yunho teased and Jaejoong grabbed his pillow again to whack at the professor.

“I did not. You suggested it.”

“I wouldn’t have cared.”

“Lies. That’s all the both of you do. Lie to me.”

“We love you,” Yunho corrected, “I really am going to have to give a test, aren’t I?”

“Oh my God I don’t want to know,” Changmin said as Jaejoong opened his mouth.

“No test,” Jaejoong wrinkled his nose in his best Sun Hea impression, “Yuck.”

“Well you’ve just proven that you need one,” Yunho said and Jaejoong didn’t know what to feel when he heard his own words (that he had used on Sun Hea earlier that day) thrown back at him. 

He pouted, wondering how much of the conversation his boyfriend actually remembered. “Yuck,” Jaejoong reiterated.

“Maybe if you’re good it won’t happen,” Yunho breathed into Jaejoong’s mouth. Jaejoong was sure that those few words shouldn’t have aroused him as much as they had.

Changmin made a gagging sound and tried to get up from the bed. “Ew. Really?”

Jaejoong grabbed Changmin’s arms as Yunho laughed himself silly. “I’m sorry. I want to have a serious conversation with you.”

“No, you want to make out with your professor. Good night.”

Jaejoong pouted. “I promise to behave.”

“Me too,” Yunho added, “Tell us what happened.”

“I did,” Changmin said irritably, but allowed Jaejoong to pull him back down, “God I cannot believe I’m lying in a bed with the two of you.”

Jaejoong giggled, “Not going to happen again anytime soon.”

“Good.”

They were silent for awhile, Yunho caressing the bits of Jaejoong that weren’t pressed cozily up against him, and Jaejoong stroking back Changmin’s hair.

“I do care for her.”

“I know.”

“It’s just...I don’t want to be with her when it just might be me missing Soo Ae. Or...not her specifically but missing...having someone with me. You know? And she...she has to start her whole life again. She needs to figure out who she is without me there. Because if she defines herself according to me then...then it’s not really her, right? I don’t want that. She shouldn’t want that.”

Jaejoong felt Yunho move behind him and a hand reached over to squeeze the youngest’s shoulder.

“Did you tell her that, though?” Jaejoong asked.

“I...well...no. Not really.”

“You probably should have.”

“I know. I’m going to tell her. Tomorrow.”

“If Leeteuk will even let you near her.”

“You...you told Leeteuk?”

“No. She did.”

Changmin stared back at him, “There was no food poisoning?” he guessed.

“No. Just her broken heart.”

Changmin groaned. “I’m an idiot.”

“I’ve been telling you that since we met.”

“I think I’m going to go to bed now,” Changmin got up from the bed and Jaejoong immediately moved to fill his empty space, smiling as he felt Yunho rearrange himself as well. “Thanks for yelling at me.”

“Any time,” Jaejoong assured him, already focused in on Yunho’s hand trailing up his side.

“You’re so mean to him,” Yunho whispered, when Changmin had left.

“Mmm.”

Jaejoong’s eyes fell shut as Yunho kissed his temple. “So,” the professor whispered, “About this test.”

Jaejoong cracked an eye open and gave the professor what he desperately hoped was a glare. Yunho’s smile was bordering on devious as he slid a hand down Jaejoong’s pants. “I think you’ll enjoy this test.”

Jaejoong managed to remember that there were other people in the house before muffling his moan with Yunho’s mouth.


	24. Beginning All Over Again

Jaejoong supposed that the conversation was inevitable. It wasn’t like he was avoiding it; he was just so busy making sure everyone else knew where they were going that he really didn’t have time to think about himself. He really intended to just stay at his sister’s until something could be figured out.

“Where are you going?” Yunho finally asked him, after Jaejoong had nagged at him to at least clear his belongings from Jihye’s room.

“No where,” He replied easily.

Yunho stared at him for a long second before steering him around a castle of pillows in the living room (cleverly constructed for family sleeping parties) and into the bathroom.

“My offer still stands,” he said, letting his hands rest of Jaejoong’s waist, “My apartment is open to you if you want...which you said you did.”

Jaejoong took a breath and then let it out slowly, trying to formulate his thoughts into a sentence. “I...I do want to,” he finally said, looking anywhere but at Yunho, “But...I’m not sure...I don’t want anyone we’re hiding from to...to find out,” he ended lamely.

“Worst excuse ever,” Yunho said, and Jaejoong heard a hint of the professor voice.

“It’s not an excuse. It’s a worry.”

Yunho raised Jaejoong’s chin and said, “Then move in with me and let me worry about it.”

“How am I not supposed to worry? Your reputation as a professor is on the line, Yunho, I’m not going to be the cause of-“

“Jaejoong. First of all, I’m not a professor anymore. If anyone asks, you lost your roommate last minute, which you did, and I offered you a space to live, which I have, and you accepted, which you will, and it’s all just terribly convenient since your internship is with me.”

“Is it?” Jaejoong asked, “Because you no longer have a case.”

“Sure I do. Yejin’s.”

“Serving a restraining order is not a case. It takes all of one or two days.”

“It will become one, if I have anything to say about it.”

“Yunho, I love you. But we both know Heechul is not going to accept that as an internship.”

“You’re going to help him teach. That plus Yejin’s case and helping me re-establish my practice and you’re all set. Heechul widely approves.”

Jaejoong let the words sink in before asking, “Yunho, did you already talk to Heechul about this?”

His slightly dangerous undertones were subtle, and he was afraid that Yunho might miss them. However, he smiled (bravely, it seemed,) and said, “Um...I might have?”

“Without checking with me?”

“Oh, Jaejoong, come on, it’s brilliant.”

“Do not pout at me.”

“I’ll pout until you agree. Besides, it’s the only way Heechul will accept the internship.”

“If I teach?”

“Help him teach. yes.”

“Blackmail.” Jaejoong scoffed.

“This isn’t blackmail, it’s bargaining. Blackmail is me telling Heechul to assign you a long ass paper about what constitutes blackmail unless you agree.”

“If you even dare,” Jaejoong hissed, getting into the professor’s personal space.

“You’re adorable mad,” Yunho grinned, sneaking a quick kiss from Jaejoong, “So it’s all settled? I get you in my bed and Heechul gets you in class, yes?”

Jaejoong punched his kidney.

 

~~~~~

 

Changmin gathered his thoughts for a moment before ringing the bell to Kangin's house. He heard someone shuffling behind the door before it opened and Chansook peered out.

"Oh. It's you."

"Is Yejin here?"

"Yes. But she's mad at you."

Changmin ran a hand through his hair. "I only want to apologize to her. Can I please come in?"

"Appa said I wasn't allowed to let you near her.”

"And since when have you done everything your Appa asked?"

"You hurt Yejin," Chansook said seriously, ignoring Changmin's question.

"Chansook, please. I'll even let you stay in the room so you know I'm not breaking her heart."

"You already did."

Changmin just barely managed to catch the door before it slammed shut, "Let me fix it. Please, Chansook."

There was a space of perhaps thirty seconds before there was a long sigh and Chansook opened the door fully. “Fine. But I expect you to step in if I get in trouble.”

“Deal.”

Chansook grumbled to himself as he stepped aside, and Changmin pushed the irritated boy out of his mind as he made his way to Yejin’s room. Her door was open slightly and he peeked through the crack before knocking. It belatedly occurred to him the maybe the order of that was wrong, but when he heard nothing (and saw nothing), he pushed it open a little more.

A pillow flew at his head; Changmin dutifully stood still and let it thwack him.

“Kangin said I have to be more aggressive.”

Yejin was sitting on her bed, not looking particularly fierce, but she was holding another pillow and Changmin decided to stay where he was.

“I deserve aggressive,” he acknowledged.

“Chansook wasn’t supposed to let you inside.”

“I can be very convincing.”

Yejin pulled a face. “I know.”

Changmin bent to pick up the pillow and fingered the edge of it. “I’m sorry,” he whispered, “I’m sorry that I told you like I did. It wasn’t fair.”

“No, it wasn’t.”

“I’m an ass.”

“You are,” Yejin nodded.

Changmin sensed a little of the Yejin he had tutored filter into her determined nod and he found it promising.

“Can I sit down?”

The emotions that flickered across her face came and went so fast, Changmin couldn’t follow them.

“I guess so.”

Tentatively, he lowered himself onto her bed, holding onto the pillow like it would keep him from doing something stupid again. After five minutes of silence, Yejin said, “If you aren’t going to say anything, then leave.”

“I...I don’t want to leave,” Changmin said.

“Then stay,” Yejin replied evenly, and Changmin wondered if she was talking about her room.

“I...honestly, seriously, from the bottom of my heart, I’m so sorry.”

“Changmin, don’t play with my heart,” and he swallowed when he realized that she was on the verge of tears, “It’s not fair. It’s not right to come in here and apologize for kissing me. That hurts too.”

Changmin blinked stupidly before he realized what she thought he was saying. “Oh. Oh, no. Yejin that’s not what I’m saying.”

“Then what is it?” she hissed, “Because I’m ready to hit you again.”

“I...shit, this is all wrong. I’m..I’m sorry about my timing.”

“You’re what?”

Changmin groaned. “Okay. Can...can I just start over? Please?”

Yejin was biting her lip and he had to look away. “Fine.”

“You...you can’t bite your lip, though. It’s distracting.”

She looked half amused at this as she complied with his request.

“Um...so. I’m leaving for Japan to start a kick-ass internship and I’m really excited about it and I got even more excited because you said that you’re excited.”

“That’s before you said that you were leaving.”

“I...but...I’m really sad too because it means that I can’t spend time with you. And I want to. Spend time with you. But...but we’ve both through so much, you more than me and...and we need this. This time to figure ourselves and our lives out before seeing if we want other people. I just...” he felt around clumsily for her hand and was very relieved when she didn’t jerk away. “I like you a lot, Yejin. But I need...time. I know Jaejoong told you about...Soo Ae and four years is a long time. I want to be healed, you know? She needs to be gone before you can come in.” He winced at how horrible and lame he sounded.

“Oh,” she said softly, and she actually sounded more hurt than before. “That’s what you meant to say?”

“Yes.”

“So you didn’t mean to kiss me?”

“I wanted to kiss you,” Changmin clarified, and congratulated himself by avoiding a potential disaster. He wasn’t so stupid as to tell a girl he didn’t mean to kiss her. “You...you’re beautiful,” he whispered, feeling a little desperate and sliding closer to her, “You’re mesmerizing. I can’t think properly around you.”

Yejin didn’t say anything and Changmin decided to take another liberty and tuck a strand of hair behind her ear.

“You were just there. Smiling. I forgot everything I meant to say.” Oh my God you’re babbling. Get a grip

“Oh,” she said again, and this time she didn’t sound hurt.

“I...I’m sorry,” Changmin said again.

His heart was beating ridiculously fast as she bit her lip and seemed to have some sort of internal debate with herself. “I forgive you,” she finally whispered, “But...I don’t...what does my forgiveness mean, Changmin?”

“Whatever you want,” he said automatically, “whatever you need it to mean, Yejin.”

“I don’t know what I want,” she admitted, and Changmin sat back against the wall, pulling her with him.

“Is this okay?” He asked, sliding an arm around her, and when she let her head rest on his shoulder, he continued, “Then it can mean this. You’ve been a fantastic friend, Yejinnie, I don’t want to lose that.”

“I don’t either,” Yejin replied, “I really don’t want you to go away. I don’t know what I’ll do, I don’t have...friends.”

“You have Leeteuk and Kangin.”

“They’re like parents,” Yejin said and Changmin glanced down in time to see the half-hearted face that she pulled, “I love them and they’re amazing but they’re parents.”

“Jaejoong and Yunho,” Changmin listed.

“They’re like party parents, you know? Not quite as strict as your actual parents, they’ll let you get away with a lot, but still...parents at the end of it all.”

“Junsu and Yoochun.”

“Older brothers.”

“People at school?” Changmin pressed.

“I didn’t really get along with them...they were just...there because my family let them be. I wasn’t supposed to associate with anyone they didn’t approve.”

“Lame. Well, now you can make friends with whomever you want. And you have my number,” he added, “I don’t mind if you make really expensive phone calls to talk to me.”

“Kangin might mind.”

“You tell him to keep a tally and I’ll pay for every minute. Okay?”

There was the faint sound of the door opening and Kangin’s voice could be heard mixing with with Leeteuk’s as they came through the door.

“How about you tell him yourself?” Yejin said mischievously, pulling away.

“You...you need to spend less time around Jaejoong,” Changmin paled, “You have a mean streak in you, Yejin, you’re throwing me into a lion’s den.”

Her grin faded down to a small smile and Changmin mind blanked as she leaned forward to press a kiss against his lips. “Don’t worry,” she murmured, “I’ll pick you up and put you back together again afterwards.”

 

~~~~

 

Jaejoong set down his last box of belongings inside Yunho’s doorway and took a deep breath. He couldn’t quite explain it, but this sort of living with Yunho felt different than the past living with Yunho he had done.

“Hey, are you okay?”

“Yeah. Just thinking.”

“You don’t have to do this. I don’t want you to feel pressured. As much as I want it, I only do if you do.”

“I want it,” Jaejoong reassured, and leant back against the arms that had come around him, “I’ve wanted it longer than you.”

He forgot the ridiculous amount of organizing he had to do when Yunho chuckled down his ear.

“So. Come with me, I have something to show you.”

"It's the couch, isn't it?" Jaejoong asked. He had noticed how Yunho had somehow managed to block him off every time he went to put down a box in the living room. He hadn't said anything because it had been adorable. "It's gone and you want to break it to me gently."

"No," Yunho pushed Jaejoong forward and he squealed a little bit when he saw the couch, unmarred, and looking absolutely fabulous.

Yunho was laughing as Jaejoong vaulted over the back of the sofa and squished himself down into the cushions.

"I hope you fervently appreciate the trouble I went through to find someone who knew what it had been stuffed with and could fix it for me."

"I do," Jaejoong muttered from the depths, and he was sure his heart was going to burst, as he reached out a hand, searching blindly.

He felt Yunho grab it and Jaejoong pulled him down onto the couch.

"Boxes," Yunho whispered, but Jaejoong heard a tremor in his voice that suggested he wanted nothing more than to forget the unpacking that needed to be done.

"Couch," Jaejoong replied, feeling Yunho's hands do things entirely unrelated to organizing his belongings.

"I knew it. You love this stupid piece of furniture more than me."

"You are here, with me, on this couch. Therefore I want the couch, not the boxes."

"So if I go over to the boxes...?" Yunho raised an eyebrow.

"You will be very sorry," Jaejoong threatened, and pulled him down for a kiss.

They didn't get to their unpacking for several hours (although they did christen the new bed...and the new countertops on the way to the bed...and the freshly painted wall on the way to the countertops...)

All in all, Jaejoong considered later, as he was filling Yunho's kitchen cupboards, it was a good way to start out.

Not that he was thrilled with everything; Yunho had left momentarily for the police station. He had received a call post bed-christening that had him dialing Heechul and asking his former professor to meet him at the station.

"I love you," Yunho had said, "But I want Heechul to do this with me; stay here and get yourself organized."

Jaejoong had tried to point out that it supposed to be part of his internship but, he was here, cleaning, and not there, working. It might have had something to do with kissing and him nodding and agreeing with whatever Yunho whispered into his ear...but no one needed to know that.

It was a good hour before he came back, looking perhaps five years older and very haggard. Jaejoong didn't say anything as Yunho just dropped everything in his hands and pulled Jaejoong close.

"Do you know," Yunho murmured, "how positively wonderful it is to come back here and see you standing in my kitchen, knowing that you're not going anywhere?"

"So it went bad?" Jaejoong asked.

"They were very unimpressed. I almost got punched. Heechul yelled a lot. My finger was slammed in the door. But other than that, it was perfect."

"Did you call Yejin?"

"Yes. I'm glad that she was grateful, but ten minutes of her profusely sobbing thank you was a bit much."

Jaejoong took a step back and regarded the lawyer, "So now what?"

"Now you kiss me."

Jaejoong pecked his cheek dutifully, “What are you going to do in regards to Yejin?"

Yunho pouted.

"No," Jaejoong said firmly.

Yunho leaned in and kissed him any way.

 

~~~~

 

"So how's married life?"

Jaejoong briefly considered doing something very painful to his friend via radio waves. "Shut up."

"Notice how I ask you over the phone so you can't hit me," Yoochun sounded terribly smug.

"Fuck you. I hold grudges. You had best sleep with your eyes open."

A short laugh crackled into Jaejoong's ear and he rolled his eyes.

"Okay. Seriously, though. You're good?"

Jaejoong glanced over to where Yunho was still sleeping, his arm still splayed out across the bed, echoing where Jaejoong had been a few moments before.

"Yeah," he said, "I'm good."


	25. Rumors, Lies, and More Kisses

"The Dean wants to have lunch."

Yunho's chopsticks paused half way to his mouth. "What?"

"I invited him over. He'll be here at noon."

Yunho put his chopsticks down and stared at Jaejoong. "I'm feeling a little incredulous. Why would you invite him here?"

"I'm sure he suspects something," Jaejoong said reasonably, "So I figure, what better way to dissuade him than have him here? Yes?"

"No," Yunho hoped he looked stern, but he wasn't banking on it, not if Jaejoong's You Know I'm Right stare was any indication.

"You said it yourself," Jaejoong argued, "I lost my roommate and you offered me a place to stay. It's all terribly convenient. And you're not teaching anymore."

"Yes, but Jaejoong, it's the Dean."

"Don't worry," Jaejoong patted the top of Yunho's head as he meandered towards the shower, "I'll make something really yummy."

Yunho groaned. He should not have taught Jaejoong to argue so effectively.

 

~~~~

 

Yunho hoped that his smile was genuine when he opened up his apartment door to a rather prim looking Dean.

"I hope I'm not intruding too much. I was a little surprised when Jaejoong-ssi invited me to your apartment."

"You and I both," Yunho confided, "I suppose that's when I get for trying to be kind. Ever since I told him he could stay here he's taken over everything."

Yunho could almost hear Jaejoong smoldering from the kitchen and it made him smirk. "Come in. I've discovered that Jaejoong cooks, I think you'll like enjoy his lunch."

"Thank you."

Yunho had to congratulate himself slightly because he had ben able to effectively convince Jaejoong that they had to do a little bit of acting. A little bit of "this is still kind of awkward because we're student/teacher" acting plus a small hint of formal language. Yunho hoped that maybe the Dean wouldn't look too far into it.

Oh, and no tours of the apartment. The one bedroom with one bed that's very obviously been slept in by two people would totally blow their cover.

"Hi!"

Yunho couldn't begin to fathom how Jaejoong managed to sound like Junsu on too much sugar.

"I'm so glad you didn't mind coming here. It's been so crazy and it's so much easier to just throw something together than get ready to go out, you know?"

Yunho decided that maybe Jaejoong was acting a bit more like Heechul than Junsu.

"Um...right," The Dean said, looking a little flustered.

We should have added, "Don't act gay," onto our list. Not that Jaejoong had ever been flamboyant (at least overtly) but this...this was a little odd.

"Don't mind him," Yunho said, guiding the Dean into the living room, "I learned the hard way that he likes to have sugar in the morning with his caffeine IV. It makes him a little neurotic at points."

The lunch was dull. Well, not dull. Just full of Jaejoong falling back into his freshman self, and talking the Dean's ear off.

"So," Yunho finally pressed, "Why exactly are you here."

The Dean finished swallowing a bite of his meal (which he had praised Jaejoong for profusely) and set his chopsticks down. "Two reasons," he said.

Yunho watched out of the corner of his eye as Jaejoong shifted and the former professor held back a grin as Jaejoong nonchalantly linked the tips of their fingers together under the table.

"The first...I don't mean to be offensive, but there have been some rumors and...I hope you understand, I just need to make sure that they are nothing but rumors."

"Rumors?" Jaejoong asked.

"Well...several people have seen the two of you...together. Out, doing things." Yunho tried not to laugh at how awkward the Dean looked. "You have to understand, I don't necessarily believe them, but with the two of you living together...people think you're dating," he finally stated in a rush, "and as Dean I have to uphold the school's reputation and the rumors really would do nothing for it, or you," a pointed stare was given to Yunho, "if they were true."

Jaejoong had Yunho's hand in a death grip, despite the calm and serene mask etched onto his features.

"I completely understand," Yunho started, and he did. They both did, because if they didn't, they wouldn't be trying to hide it.

"So...you're not?" the Dean asked.

"We're not," Jaejoong replied, a little too fiercely.

"It's just terribly convenient," Yunho said, and rattled off their list of excuses (Changmin, internship, money,) which the Dean seemed to buy.

"I'm relieved," the Dean said and Yunho felt himself breathe again, "I trust you and I'm glad it's not true."

The words stung more than Yunho would have liked.

"What was the second thing you had to ask?"

The Dean seemed a bit more relaxed now and Yunho released Jaejoong's hand, thinking that it couldn't possibly get any worse.

"I've come to tell you that I'm resigning."

Yunho blinked. "You're...resigning as Dean?"

"I've been offered a position in a company that I intend on taking. I've really...lost interest in what I'm doing. I guess you could say I'm having something of a mid-life crisis."

"Oh. Um."

"You're wondering why I'm telling you. I think you should apply to be my replacement."

Yunho suddenly wished that he hadn't let go of Jaejoong's hand.

"Well," Jaejoong breathed out, "I wasn't expecting that."

"You were expecting something else?"

"Hoping," Jaejoong corrected, "I wondered if maybe you wanted to talk about Sangmi."

"Sangmi?" The Dean looked very confused. "Who is that?"

Yunho blinked again.

"Oh" Jaejoong laughed, in the I am not at all amused way.

“A student of yours?”

Yunho realized that he had lost his voice. Temporarily.

“She handed me papers a week ago with your signature on it,” Jaejoong continued, and Yunho could sense the storm brewing in his boyfriend’s brain, “I let her take the final and I passed her lousy ass and-“

“Jaejoong,” Yunho interrupted gently.

“What...what did I sign?” The Dean asked.

“No one came to speak with you about cheating?”

“Cheating?” The Dean frowned, “No, definitely not. There was someone cheating?”

“Oh my God,” Jaejoong groaned, “I passed her, I passed her and she lied through her teeth. Again.”

“It sounds like you have a story to share with me,” the Dean said, leaning back against the chair.

 

~~~~

 

The Dean stayed far too long in Yunho’s opinion, but he at least heard the whole story. He left promising to look into the matter and let them know what he found. It wasn’t until the Dean had left, and Jaejoong had collapsed on the couch that Yunho realized how exhausted he was. It was like the Dean was some sort of vacuum that had sucked out all of the lawyer’s energy.

"That wasn't as bad as it could have been," Yunho mumbled in Jaejoong's shoulder, after laying himself over his former student.

"He was nice," Jaejoong agreed, running his hand through Yunho’s hair, "Except for when he said the bit about being glad that we're not together. That made me want to punch him."

"Good thing you didn’t.”

Yunho's eyelids drooped and he decided that he wanted to dream about kissing Jaejoong because he was too tired to move his head and do it in real life. Maybe when he woke up he would--that, and some other things.

"Nap on the bed, not on me," Jaejoong muttered into his ear, poking at Yunho's side.

"No." Yunho would have pouted if he had the energy.

"Yes," Jaejoong insisted, "Yunho, get up right now or I will not cook you any food."

"We've had this argument before, Jaejoong. You can't refuse anyone food. Or anything, actually," Yunho added, insinuating something else entirely.

"Oh really?" Jaejoong asked, and Yunho thought that maybe he should have just kept his mouth shut.

"Um..."

"Nap on bed," Jaejoong ordered again, and this time Yunho allowed himself to be pulled up and pushed towards the bedroom, "You're so difficult sometimes."

Yunho tried to form a coherent response, but it was lost as he felt a mattress beneath him, and blankets pulled over him. His last thought, as he felt Jaejoong snuggle in next to him, was that as usual, his boyfriend was right. The couch was best utilized as a cuddling device, not a bed.

 

~~~~

 

Jaejoong woke fuzzily to Yunho's apartment phone ringing by his ear. Their apartment phone, Jaejoong belatedly remembered and he smiled blearily as his hand reached out in an attempt to answer before the answering machine did.

"'Lo?" He mumbled, feeling Yunho trail sleepy kisses down his neck.

There was a sound of someone crying on the other end of the line and Jaejoong's drowsiness disappeared as he recognized the voice.

"Yejin? Yejin, what's wrong? Are you okay?"

The blubbering continued and Jaejoong struggled with the bed sheets for a minute as he hopped around and tried to find some clothing, Yunho looking very concerned as he pulled on clothes of his own.

"Dance," Jaejoong finally heard, "They won't let me dance."

"What? What do you mean?"

"The studio," Yejin's breath hitched, "They said they couldn't allow me to continue dancing or teaching or..."

Jaejoong suddenly feared that Yejin might start hyperventilating again. "Yejin, honey, breathe. Where are you?"

"C-cafe. Cafe across from the studio."

"Stay there, I'm coming to get you."

"Leeteuk and Kangin...they're both working." She sounded a little bit more composed.

"I can go get them. Do you want them? Did you call Changmin? Why don't you talk to him until I get there. I can't bring this phone with me."

"Okay," Yejin whispered.

"If he doesn't pick up, call Yunho, alright?"

"Kay," the tears sounded like they had stopped.

"I'll be right there."

"What was that?" Yunho asked, before Jaejoong had placed the phone back on it's base.

"The studio won't let her dance."

"What?"

"We need to have a chat with her family," Jaejoong said, making his way out of the room and swiping keys off of the countertop, "I'll bet you anything that they're behind this."

"We should talk with the dance studio first."

"As long as we talk to someone. Are you coming or not?"

 

~~~~

 

Changmin had been in Starbucks, savoring the last time he was going to order a coffee in Korean, when Yejin had called. He didn't know what sort of providence had led him to be so close to her studio, but he hadn’t hesitated to leave the long line he was standing in and run the five blocks to the cafe.

She was sniffling in a corner seat, spinning a hot cup of liquid that was steaming her glasses. Changmin had never seen her wear glasses, not even when he was tutoring her. He thought they looked adorable, even with her puffy eyes and red nose.

"Are those new?" he asked, reaching out and touching them ever so gently.

She looked up, startled a little bit, and then smiled half heartedly. "Yeah. Leeteuk took me out yesterday when he discovered that I couldn't read signs while driving unless I squinted."

"They're cute." Changmin slid in beside her, nudging at her hip until she moved to make room for him.

"Everything's much clearer," Yejin nodded, "It's nice."

"Why didn't you have them before?"

"My family didn’t think I needed them."

"I don't know why I even bothered to ask," Changmin slipped arm around her shoulder and held his breath until she folded into him.

"Jaejoong's coming to get me," she murmured.

Changmin sighed, "You really do think of them as parents, don't you? You totally called him before you called me, I'm so upset."

Yejin smiled and leaned into him further; Changmin was glad she realized that he was teasing. It was a step, to be sure.

"I'm glad you know you can call them," he said, squeezing her shoulder, "That makes me happy."

She smiled up at him and then went back to her drink (steaming a lot less now,) and Changmin willed himself not to kiss her again.

“You’re staring,” she whispered.

“You’re beautiful,” he replied, thinking, screw it, and he lowered his head to kiss her. He was sure it was the smartest decision he ever made.

"Oh good, you're already here."

Changmin jerked away from Yejin to see Jaejoong and Yunho sliding into the booth, both of them grinning.

"Did you get glasses?" Yunho asked, as both Yejin and Changmin blushed furiously

"Leeteuk."

"She didn't have them before," Changmin said, before his former professor could ask.

"For reading? Or long distance?" Jaejoong asked.

"Long distance."

"Yejin," Yunho sat back and surreptitiously sliding his hand into Jaejoong's, "When you were in class, could you read the board?"

Changmin glanced down, quickly, hoping that if he looked fast enough he wouldn't want to ravish her face. Or something like it.

She was biting her lip, hands folded in her lap and Changmin looked away, cursing inwardly as he saw the twinkle in Jaejoong's eye.

"You couldn't read it?" Yunho guessed. "Yejin, honey, why didn't you tell me?"

"Don't...don't call me that," she whispered.

"Call you what?" Yunho asked.

"Honey?" Changmin guessed, and wondered if he she minded when he called her sweetie.

"He called me that," Yejin mumbled into her cup, and Changmin felt slightly guilty as she downed half the liquid in one gulp.

"Okay," Jaejoong said, "You have to work on communication. Tell us when you don't like things, tell us when we can help you."

"She did call you," Changmin pointed out.

"I know," Jaejoong reached across the table and grasped Yejin's hand, "No more honey," he promised, "Anything else?"

She shook her head.

"Then tell me what happened."

Yejin let out a sigh, and leaned back. Changmin almost choked on his own spit when she reached up to grasp at his fingers; he didn't have to look to know that Jaejoong was grinning. Or maybe he was glaring. Changmin peeked; Jaejoong smirked. Fuck.

"I went in to see if I could teach," she started out, "They didn't look happy to see me at all. And the artistic director pulled me into her office and said that they didn't want me to take lessons or teach there again."

Changmin reached around Yejin for a napkin as her eyes started welling up, pointedly ignoring that his face landed in her hair, "Here," he muttered, trying to erase the scent from his mind.

"She said they didn't need me, and that I was better off doing something else with my life. It...hurt. I thought I was a good dancer. Not the best, but I thought..."

She dissolved into tears and Changmin very decidedly thought, screw Jaejoong, and put his other arm around her. "You are," he affirmed, "You are a good dancer."

"Doesn't make sense," she mumbled against his shirt.

"I'm not going to jump to conclusions," Yunho said, "But it's probably your family."

Yejin sighed, pulling away from Changmin and reaching for another napkin. "I wouldn't put it past them." She let out a breath and put her head on her arms. "I'm tired of this," she said.

"Don't give in," Jaejoong said gently, reaching out to stroke her hair, "We'll find a way to make it work."

"I want to make it work. You do too much for me."

"Don't be silly," Yunho pushed away her cup and saucer so his hands could come to rest on her as well, "I wouldn't be doing this if I didn't want to, Yejin. None of us would. I'm going to go talk to the director, do you want to come?"

Yejin raised her head an inch. "I don't think she wants to see me."

There was a twinkle in Yunho's eyes and Changmin waited for Yejin to catch the professor's meaning.

"Oh," she finally said, and Yunho smiled.

"I don't mind doing this for you, Yejin," Yunho reiterated, "Stay here with Changmin, have another cup of hot chocolate, or whatever that is, and Jaejoong and I will be right back. Okay?"

"Okay."

 

~~~~

 

Jaejoong voted for immediate storming of Yejin's house when Yunho was (easily) able to extract from the dance studio that they had indeed been threatened (blackmailed, Jaejoong insisted) into denying Yejin teaching and lessons.

"We just really need to talk to them. Like honestly, this plus Sangmi's forging the Dean's signature--I'm sick of it."

"I know," Yunho fought the urge to loop an arm around his boyfriend. "We need to plan this out, though. I'm not going to charge in with guns blazing without proof in my hands."

"Then let's go," Jaejoong urged.

Yunho couldn't hold back a grin as they got back into the car.

"I told you this was going to turn into a case."

 

~~~~

 

Jaejoong called Changmin with orders to bring Yejin back to Yunho’s apartment (he had to correct himself mid-sentence--our apartment--making Yunho grin maniacally) and as soon as the two of them got there, set them up at the kitchen table.

“You need to write out a statement,” Jaejoong started.

“For what?”

“Against your family,” Jaejoong placed a pad of paper and ballpoint pen in front of her, his mind already set in it’s lawyer mode.

"Why can't you just use the other statement?" Yejin asked, "The one I wrote out for the restraining order?'

"You didn't talk about everything that happened. We need to know when it started, how many times it happened," as Jaejoong listed off what she needed to talk about in her statement she grew more and more panicked, and he finally stopped when Changmin thunked him over the head.

"You're being insensitive," he said, “I’ll take care of this, go cook us dinner.”

“I’m not insensitive!”

“Jaejoong, let him do it.”

Jaejoong turned and glared at Yunho who had appeared in the doorway.

“Dinner,” Yunho pointed.

“Do not think that because I moved in you can order me around like I’m your wife!”

“I would never think that,” Yunho replied, “Let them write it out, Jae.”

There was an underlying message hidden in his words and Jaejoong let out a sigh. “Okay. Sorry,” he added, patting Yejin’s head, “I didn’t mean to freak you out.”

He hoping that Yunho would follow him into the kitchen. The lawyer did.

“What-“ Jaejoong started, but Yunho kissed him before the sentence could form.

“You’re too angry,” Yunho whispered, “You’re far, far too angry to think about how Yejin feels, writing all that down. Let Changmin take her through it, Jae, he’ll get what we need and comfort her simultaneously. Okay?”

Jaejoong let out a breath. “Okay,” he agreed.

“Make something spicy,” Yunho whispered, “that will make you feel better.”

Jaejoong kissed Yunho one more time, slowly, before pulling away, a smile blooming on his face. 

“I’m going to shower.”

Jaejoong started humming under his breath as Yunho walked away. He snagged the water he needed just before he heard Yunho turn the shower on, and started pulling out the ingredients he needed.

He cooked mindlessly, trying not to think too hard about the low murmuring voices he heard from the dining room punctuated by the occasional sniffle. He heard the shower turn off and he grinned, thinking that it would be an excellent moment to surprise a naked Yunho.

But then the phone rang, and Jaejoong cursed softly, sure that he sounded slightly upset when he answered.

"Are you sure her name was Sangmi?"

Jaejoong blinked, tongue frozen on his lower lip.

"Hello?" The Dean. That was the Dean's voice.

"Oh. Sorry. Um, what did you say?" Because I thought you said-

"Are you sure that your student's name was Son Sangmi?"

Yeah that.

"Positive. I have rosters."

"Well, they're wrong. There is no student by that name here."

Jaejoong looked around desperately for Yunho, but ssaw no one. "Yunho!"

"Jaejoong-ssi, are you absolutely, positively sure that was her name?"

"Yes, of course I'm-" and then Jaejoong actually thought about it. Really, with everything that had happened, he wasn't too sure of anything anymore.

"Jaejoong?"

For the first time in his life, the sight of Yunho wrapped in a towel did not distract Jaejoong from his thought process. Well, at least not completely.

"Rosters. Where are the summer class rosters?"

Yunho frowned, toweling his hair. "At my office in a pile somewhere?"

"Get dressed," Jaejoong ordered, and then into the phone, said, "We're coming to the school. We'll figure it out."

"I'll meet you at your office," the Dean said, and then ended the call.

"What's up?" Yunho asked.

"Sangmi." Jaejoong muttered, "Apparently, there is no Son Sangmi registered at the school."

"There's not--what?"

"She doesn't go to SNU."

"But rosters, grades," Yunho started.

"I don't know," Jaejoong shrugged, "Get dressed."

"Shit," Yunho enunciated carefully, and Jaejoong thought the expletive described the situation perfectly.


	26. Burnt Coffee

There existed a long list of reasons that detailed why Park Yoochun loved Kim Junsu. It covered a wide range of things, and Yoochun found that the order of the list actually changed on a day to day basis, depending on what spectacular attribute surfaced at any one time.

Today, the first Friday of fall semester classes, the number one thing that Park Yoochun loved about Kim Junsu was his semi-addiction to school coffee. Yoochun didn’t particularly understand Junsu’s passion for it (Yoochun himself preferred it dark and strong - something the school would never learn how to make correctly,) but that didn’t mean that he couldn’t appreciate it, especially since today, the cravings allowed them to learn something spectacular. Junsu’s odd need for coffee had driven them out of their warm (bed) dorm room, and Yoochun was dragging his feet as Junsu pulled him along.

“Junsu, I was so warm. And cuddly.”

“And now we will be even more warm and cuddly.”

“If we can go to Starbucks, then I won’t be mad.”

Junsu rolled his eyes, saved from answering as Yoochun’s phone started ringing.

“What?” he growled, after checking the screen and seeing Jaejoong’s picture on his screen.

“Meet you at Yunho’s office. Last one there buys coffee later today.”

“What.”

Jaejoong hung up and Yoochun glared at the device like his friend could still see him. “Why is everyone so preoccupied with coffee today? Did I miss a memo?”

“Are we meeting someone for coffee?” Junsu asked.

“No, we’re meeting Jaejoong at Yunho’s office. We’ll get coffee later.”

“Former office,” Junsu grumbled, before adding, “did something happen?”

“With our luck,” Yoochun shrugged, “Probably. Let’s hurry, I don’t have any money and I don’t want Jaejoong holding anything over my head.”

“Yoochun, we are getting our coffee first. You know Jaejoong’s already there; he wouldn’t have egged you on otherwise.”

Yoochun paused a moment to appreciate Junsu’s brilliance. “You’re right. I will thoroughly enjoy marching into that office and gloating in his face. Lead on lover, I will put up with your crap coffee just to see that.”

Junsu chuckled and they swung their joined hands all the way down to the cafe. Yoochun wrinkled his nose at the weak aroma, but dutifully ordered a cup with several extra shots. It still didn’t taste strong enough when he took a sip, but the image of a scowling Jaejoong made it tolerable. Junsu didn’t notice Yoochun’s quiet grumbling, caught up as he was in making pleasurable noises as he inhaled the steam of his drink.

“Disgusting.”

Junsu mumbled something, and Yoochun’s heart squeezed a little bit at the expression on Junsu’s face. If it made him happy, Yoochun supposed that maybe he could deal with the yuck his boyfriend loved so much. Maybe.

His eyes on Junsu’s tongue as it attempted to lick a bit of latte foam from a nose, Yoochun walked into a Hazardous, Why is it in the Middle of the Walkway Pole and went sprawling.

Really, it wasn’t too much of a good day. Someone was going to owe him something to make up for all of this.

Junsu (carefully) set his cup down before patting Yoochun’s head consolingly for a minute and Yoochun seethed, uttering a string of mumbles that made no sense. “You can have some of mine,” Junsu whispered into his ear.

“Have some of your what?” Yoochun grinned, already feeling better despite the large wet stain on his pants.

The expected whack never landed.

“Oh my god. Yoochun, Yoochun, oh my god, it’s stalker boy.”

“Hmm?” It probably looked like he wet himself.

“My stalker is talking to Sangmi.” 

Yoochun looked up from scrubbing at his jeans and blinked a couple times. Sangmi was indeed sitting at a table across from Stalker-boy and as Junsu yanked yoochun by the collar to hide behind the Hazardous Yet Now Useful Pole, Yoochun wondered how he hadn’t noticed her before.

Oh right. Junsu had been licking himself.

“Why are they talking?”

“Probably because they know each other.”

“Yoochun.”

He sighed. “Okay. Sorry. I don’t know why they’re talking.”

“Go see what he’s giving her.”

It wasn’t hard to imagine Jaejoong’s glare. “I’m not sure if that’s the smartest idea ever, Junsu.”

“Oh, come on. This could be horribly useful.”

“And I could get horribly in trouble,” Yoochun hissed back, now envisioning Yunho’s glare as well. And Changmin’s. Changmin glaring was never good.

“Just do it,” Junsu prodded, “I’ll make it up to you, I promise.”

Yoochun mulled it over for a second, “Fine. But that’s twice you owe me today. And I’m using your sunglasses.”

Junsu nudged him around the Hazardous Yet Still Very Useful Pole, and Yoochun made his way to the trash can that was just to the right of Sangmi and the Stalker. He didn’t get too close. In all honesty, Yoochun was scared stiff; he was a lawyer-to-be, not some sort of secret agent man.

He mentally thanked the heavens for the windy weather that day and secured his scarf around his face, and slid on the sunglasses, casually tossing his now empty mug into the garbage. Trying to be inconspicuous, he walked past their table.

The first thing he saw was a spread of Jaejoong and Yunho’s faces all over the table; Yoochun felt like throwing up. He continued past them, deciding that he didn’t need to see anymore. He looped back around and passed the sunglasses back to Junsu behind the now Extraordinarily Useful Pole. “They have a ton of pictures of Jaejoong and Yunho together.”

Junsu paled. 

“I’m going to call them,” Yoochun said quietly, “Make sure those two don’t leave.”

It took one ring for Jaejoong to pick up. Yoochun didn’t even wait for the yelling that he sure had been prepared, just launched into the story with frantic whispers and “GET DOWN HERE NOW.”

There was a pregnant pause at the other end of the line before Jaejoong replied, “Don’t let her leave. We were just trying to find her.”

“Wait, really? Why?”

“Long story,” Jaejoong said, but he told it anyway.

“She’s not registered? Are you sure?”

“Just make sure she’s still there when we arrive. Five minutes.”

“She will be,” Yoochun muttered to the dead line, and returned to a panicking Junsu, murmuring the new information into his ear.

“Not a student?” Junsu squeaked, “Oh, I am not okay with that at all.”

He made as if to march up the them but Yoochun snagged his arm before he could move. “This is Yunho and Jaejoong’s problem,” he whispered, “We only need to interfere if she tries to leave.”

Junsu made a face but he retreated slightly, allowing Yoochun’s arm to sling about his waist.

“No more coffee,” Yoochun whispered as they watched Sangmi mull over the photos on the table.

“You can make it up to me later.”

“Starbucks?” Yoochun asked hopefully.

“Not what I had in mind.”

“Bastard.”

 

~~~~

 

Normally, Jaejoong considered himself to be a relatively stable person. He was good at making sure he didn’t fall over. However his excitement at finally being able to confront Sangmi was too great. That and he was already horribly exhausted from everything that had happened earlier. Reflecting on this in hindsight, Jaejoong decided that he should have known that he’d trip.

Whilst flying through the air and trying to grab onto something (Yunho) to keep from landing hard, Jaejoong didn’t think it would end badly; it was only three steps. But when he dropped, his ankle cracked loudly and from the profuse amount of swearing coming out of Yunho’s mouth, it most likely didn’t look very pretty.

And fuck, it hurt. So he said it out loud, complete with the swear, even though the Dean was staring down at him.

Yunho’s arm wrapped around Jaejoong from behind and he wasn’t sure how to react to that. “Don’t look at your foot,” Yunho whispered.

“Hurts.”

“Don’t look.”

Jaejoong didn’t. “Sangmi,” he muttered, “Just, I’ll just wait here, you go.” He prayed very hard that the Dean would do something because Jaejoong did not want Yunho to go anywhere. Not when his foot felt like it was burning itself into a stump.

“I’ll take care of Sangmi, you just...god, don’t move. Call an ambulance or something.”

Jaejoong swallowed and gripped Yunho’s hand hard as the Dean hurried away, thankful that even while incapacitated he could still manipulate people.

“Is it really that bad? It’s not that bad, right? Tell me it’s not bad.”

“How about I say that it looks as bad as it feels?”

Jaejoong groaned. 

“You don’t need an ambulance, but you should get it looked at.”

“I wanted to yell at her so bad.”

“I know. Come on, let’s get you up.”

Jaejoong gritted his teeth and tried not to feel the throbbing that was threatening to overtake his consciousness. “Distract me.”

“I can’t kiss you here.”

Jaejoong cracked a smile.

“I lack in the distraction department when we’re not alone.”

Jaejoong giggled, the pain in his foot dimming a bit as Yunho helped him through some doors. Because it was a Friday, the hallways were empty, and they were able to get to a lobby without too much fuss. 

Yunho set Jaejoong down on a couch, “Wait here, I’ll go get the car.”

Jaejoong tried to breathe evenly as he waited, holding back tears and cursing his bad luck. He really had wanted to clear this whole thing up; he was tired of all the drama and the mishaps and oh yay, Yunho’s back. That was fast.

“That was quick.”

“I sped a little,” Yunho admitted, lifting Jaejoong carefully and helping out the car. Jaejoong hissed uncomfortably as his ankle brushed against the car frame. “Don’t look.”

“I’m not,” Jaejoong mumbled, “I’m not, I’m not, I’m not. Why can’t I?”

“Because you’ll freak out on me.”

“Is it really that bad?”

“Jae.”

“Okay. Not looking.” And he didn’t.

 

~~~~

 

Yoochun ran half way to where the Dean said Jaejoong had fallen, before his phone beeped with a text from Junsu. 

COME BACK NOW.

As much as he loved Jaejoong, Junsu always came first. The Dean had insisted that they both go make sure that Jaejoong was alright, and made it sound like he was on the brink of death. They had dashed a hundred feet before Junsu realized that he had dropped his phone.

The way he had said, “go one without me,” had almost made Yoochun laugh, but before he could, Junsu had rushed back and Yoochun had trudged on, confident that his boyfriend would follow. Until now.

Yoochun pirouetted in an undignified manner and went back towards the coffee shop. “You look awful,” he announced quietly, noting that Junsu was hiding himself behind the Pole That Had Made Up For It’s Hazardous Faults.

“He’s talking with them.”

“He’s supposed to do that, Junsu.”

“No, I mean, like, he hugged Sangmi.”

Yoochun’s mouth went dry and peered around their hiding place. The Dean did indeed look very comfortable sitting next to Sangmi. It was hard not to note his arm that was draped around her shoulder. “Are they--you have to be shitting me. What the hell?”

“Yunho’s not answering his phone.”

“here’s no way he would pick up the phone right now; Jaejoong is all he’s thinking about.”

Yoochun cast about the café warily, hoping that there would be something he could use. His eyes lit up when he saw Yunho’s friend trudging towards the science wing with a fish tank in hand.

Yoochun had never run so fast in his whole life. “Professor Lee, right?”

The man looked up, “You’re...Yoochun? Donghae is fine, since you don’t call Yunho Professor Jung. Or do you? Maybe when you’re angry or-“

“Can you do me a huge favor?”

“Sure.”

“I need you to casually walk over to where the Dean is sitting and eavesdrop on his conversation.”

Donghae set the empty tank down carefully. “What do I get in return?”

“My eternal gratitude?” Yoochun’s tone was desperate, “And Yunho’s? Look, you can have whatever you want. It’s important.”

“Does it have to do with some of the troubles he’s been telling me about?”

Yoochun grit his teeth. “Probably. Look, just...quickly, before they all leave.”

Donghae grinned. “I love playing spy.”

Yoochun scuttled back over to Junsu and watched as Donghae started to pick up some trash from the tabletops and dispose of them slowly. Yoochun thought his listening in was obvious but no one seated at the table seemed to notice so he thought that maybe Donghae was doing a good job.

“God, the suspense,” Junsu groaned.

Yoochun texted Yunho (HUGE DEVELOPMENT CALL ME SOON), hitting send as soon as Donghae returned, looking confused.

“They have a lot of pictures with Jaejoong and Yunho.”

“We know,” Yoochun hissed, “What were they saying?”

“They pictures had kids in them too.”

Yoochun blinked.

“Kids?”

“Yeah.”

“How old were they?”

“One girl looked three maybe? Or two? There was another that was maybe a few years older, and then a boy, maybe ten or eleven. They were talking about them.”

“Oh god,” Junsu whispered.

“They said they were going to get them.”

Yoochun continued to stare at Donghae. “Get them when?”

The professor shrugged, and then added. “The Dean said also said that he tripped someone.”

“What.”

“He said, ‘I tripped him, so he won’t bother us for awhile.’ Do you know who he meant? If he did it purposefully I ought to call him out on it. That’s not very nice.”

Yoochun was having a hard time breathing. “Okay. Okay. I can do this.”

“Yoochun,” Junsu hissed, and Yoochun barely made it around the Very Helpful Pole before Sangmi and Stalker man walked passed them.

“Fuck,” Yoochun swore.

“What’s going on?” Donghae asked, now sounding genuinely worried.

“Can your fish tank wait?”

“What do you need?” Donghae asked immediately.

“Junsu,” Yoochun directed, “Go to the hospital, fill Yunho in. You,” he pointed to Donghae, “Are going to track down Heechul and get him to come to Jaejoong’s sister’s. He knows where it is.”

“I can do that,” Donghae nodded, and hurried away, pulling out his phone with one hand and snagging his fish tank with the other.

“Yoochun,” Junsu said worriedly, and Yoochun found himself kissing his boyfriend breathless.

“I’m going to call Changmin and tell him to stay with Yejin, just in case. Fuck, this is a mess.”

Junsu kissed his cheek softly and they smiled at each other before dashing off in opposite directions.

 

~~~~

 

Jaejoong’s ankle was sprained. Badly.

“Here.” 

Jaejoong looked up from watching Kangin wrap his ankle to see Yunho holding out a cup of coffee. “Thanks,” Jaejoong murmured.

“I know you wanted some.”

“Yoochun was going to buy me a cup,” Jaejoong mumbled.

“Only because you cheated and only called him when he were already in my office.”

Jaejoong grinned.

“Done,” Kangin announced, smiling as he stood. “You should be more careful.”

“I usually am,” Jaejoong frowned, “I don’t know what happened, one second I was fine and then the next I was flying through the air.”

“You’re a klutz,” Yunho teased affectionately, and Jaejoong slapped away his hand as it reached out to pinch his cheek.

Kangin laughed, “I’m sorry you had a burnt coffee day.”

“What?”

The doctor blushed, “Sorry. Teukie and I have this thing...we rate our days with types of coffee. Latte, espresso...you’ve had an unlucky and unplanned event so ‘burnt coffee’ is the analogy.”

“That’s cute,” Jaejoong said, smiling.

“Let me go find you some crutches.”

Jaejoong inhaled the drink a little before sipping at it. They sat in silence for awhile before they heard a loud commotion from the hallway and Junsu burst into the room, a disgruntled nurse following.

“Yah! Why did you turn off your cell phone!”

“It’s a hospital, Junsu.” 

Junsu ran a hand through his hair. “You both need to go. Now.”

“What?”

“The Dean tripped you on purpose, Jaejoong. He’s after the kids and we need to go now.”

“Wh-what?” Jaejoong paled.

“Get up, we’ll steal a wheelchair.”

“The kids?” Yunho asked.

“Yes, Yoochun’s on his way and Professor Lee is getting Heechul and for heaven’s sake we really have to leave!”

Jaejoong swallowed, before letting Yunho help him up. Kangin re-entered at that moment and frowned as he sensed the sudden change in atmosphere. 

“What’s wrong?”

“It’s the Dean. The Dean is behind this and he’s after the kids for some reason and Yunho and Jaejoong have to leave,” Junsu explained quickly. “Please.”

“I’ll get you a wheelchair,” Kangin said immediately.

Jaejoong tried desperately not to cry.


	27. Here With me

A mantra was running through Jaejoong’s head as Yunho sped towards Jihye’s house; They’re fine, they’re fine, they’re fine, they’re fine.

Jaejoong didn’t believe a word of what he said to himself, even though Yoochun said he had called to check, until Sun Hea was held tightly in his arms and Jaejoong’s tears were spilling over her pink-clad shoulder. 

“Jaejae,” she squealed, and then gasped, “Jaejae hurt!”

“Hi baby,” he murmured, barely registering Yunho scooping up Ha Neul and ruffling Seungyon’s hair. “I’m okay, I just hurt my ankle.” He relaxed as the tension in the air disappeared (momentarily), and he gestured for Yunho to shut the door firmly, and lock it. 

“What is going on?” His sister demanded. Jaejoong let Yunho pull Jihye into the living room to explain.

“In trouble?” Sun Hea asked, obviously worried for her mother, and Jaejoong shook his head.

“No one here. There are some very bad men that I’m mad at, though, who I intend to hurt.”

“Time out them!” Sun Hea declared, before yawning.

“Yes,” Jaejoong laughed, though he was not at all amused, “A very, very long time out called jail.”

“Someone’s going to jail?” Seungyon asked, awed.

“Perhaps,” Jaejoong allowed, “You’re going to have a sleep over with Yunho and I tonight.”

“Yay!” Ha Neul shrieked, taking off at a run before Jaejoong could stop her. Visions of men in black breaking through windows and snatching her away flashed in front of Jaejoong’s eyes and he almost had a heart attack, right there.

“Ha Neul don’t-aish, Seungyon, come on, we’re all going to help each other pack.”

“What?”

“Don’t sound so unimpressed,” Jaejoong chided his nephew, and steered his wheelchair after Ha Neul.

Jaejoong breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Ha Neul at the bottom of the steps and their were no ninjas assaulting Ha Neul. “Get your sister’s bag,” Jaejoong directed. Sun Hea had somehow managed to fall asleep on his lap, despite her excitement, and Jaejoong cradled her as he yelled up to Ha Neul that she didn’t need five sets of clothing.

“Here,” Seungyon said, after after a stressful few minutes of waiting for them; the sparkle hurt Jaejoong’s eyes.

“Roll her blankie up for me, will you?”

“Just for the record, I’m capable of packing all by myself,” Seungyon said.

“I know,” Jaejoong said, “But we’re all staying together right now.”

Seungyon choked, slightly. In retrospect, Jaejoong realized he should have known his nephew would be far too smart to fool for long. 

“You’re scared,” Seungyon said quietly, over Ha Neul’s loud chatter to her stuffed animals, explaining to them that Seungyon hadn’t picked out a big enough bag and therefore, she couldn’t bring them along. Jaejoong was not surprised that he could hear her even though she was on a different floor.

“Yes,” Jaejoong admitted, shifting Sun Hea so he could free a hand to ruffle Seungyon’s hair, “but you don’t have to be. Just go stay upstairs with her, and pack a bag for Sun HEa.”

Seungyon did not look convinced and he didn’t complain; progress.

Yunho and his sister appeared at that moment, and Jaejoong watched her take Seungyon into his room while Yunho went to get Ha Neul. 

“Come on,” Yunho was holding out his free hand for Ha Neul and she took it, sending kisses to her stuffed animals as she walked down the staors. 

“Are they sad to see you go?” Jaejoong asked.

“Yeah,” Ha Neul nodded, “but it’s okay.”

“You can make something to bring back to them when we get to our apartment, okay?”

She brightened at this, and Jaejoong almost laughed as she bounced excitedly. “Cupcakes?”

“If you want,” Jaejoong smiled, thinking that cupcakes would be a wonderful distraction, “I might even let you decorate them.”

Yunho groaned a little, and Jaejoong hid his smile in Sun Hea’s hair, knowing full well that the lawyer was remembering the amount of sugar that ended up on the last batch of Cupcakes a la Ha Neul. 

“You shouldn’t complain,” Jaejoong whispered into Yunho’s ear, “or do you not remember what we did after we had her cupcakes the last time? We could make it a tradition.”

Yunho blinked before hissing back, “How can you be thinking of that right now?”

“Because if I think of anything else, I will die from fear.”

There was a moment of rustling as Yunho placed the bags down by the front door. Then an arm wrapped around Jaejoong’s side and he was pressed up against a very welcome chest, Sun Hea, wheelchair, and all. “I’m right here.”

“I know,” Jaejoong fought down tears (of frustration, anger, relief,) before waking Sun Hea and helping her put on shoes and a coat.

“Seepohfer,” she mumbled and Jaejoong just kissed her forehead.

“Sun Hea, I’m going to make cupcakes!” Ha Neul declared, her arms only half in her coat’s arm holes; Yunho wrapped her scarf around her neck and Jaejoong wondered if the soft angora scarf had been a gift from his sister. “Ppbt,” Ha Neul scrunched her nose and blew her lips apart as the threads stuck to her mouth. Jaejoong chuckled as Yunho cleared it away.

“So you have sprinkles?” Ha Neul questions, no doubt forming a list inside her head, “And frosting. We can stick a lollipop in it right?”

“I’ll make you some frosting, how about that?” Jaejoong asked, “You liked it the last time I made it, right?”

Ha Neul grinned.

Jaejoong wasn’t really sure where she had picked up the idea that it was okay to stick lollipops into cakes. He lifted Sun Hea back into his arms where she promptly fell back to sleep.

“How far is it?” His sister’s voice asked from the hallway and Jaejoong turned to see her there with Seungyon, both with bags.

“Fifteen minutes,” Yunho said, “Give or take.”

“Noona,” Jaejoong started, “I’m sorry you got involved in this. I’m so-“

“I’m going to tell you the same thing I told him,” Jihye hissed, pointing her finger at Yunho, “This is not your fault. Do not apologize for things that you cannot help. Now let’s leave.”

“Umma, I’m going to make cupcakes!”

“And I was just thinking to myself that I was really hungry,” Jihye cooed, “How perfect!”

Ha Neul showed her teeth as Jihye lifted her up and cradled her, “They’ll be yummy,” Ha Neul said, and Jaejoong knew they would be, so long as no one died from a sugar overdose first.

 

~~~~

 

“They’re not picking up,” Changmin complained, “God, this is so annoying. What is going on?”

Yejin was sitting on Yunho’s couch, holding a pillow to herself, “I like this couch.”

Changmin glanced behind him and smiled at the sight of Yejin’s face half-burrowed into fabric. “It’s like heaven in material form. Chai tea solidified and soft. Like...” she trailed off and Changmin caught a sight of her blush before her entire face was hidden from view.

“Like what?” he asked, his cell phone still in his hand.

“Nothing,” was the mumble, and he knew, somewhere inside of him, that his name, or a pronoun referring to his name was somewhere beyond that like. And he really wanted to hear it.

“You’re killing me,” he muttered and went to sit beside her.

“It’s nothing,” the pillow said.

“You all are,” Changmin continued, “Yoochun calls and says to not let you out of my sight, and then hangs up on me. I try to call Jaejoong and Yunho but neither of them are answering, and then I try to talk to you and you won’t tell me anything. I’m dead to you all.”

He let out an exasperated sigh and let his head fall back, as he listened to Yejin’s quiet breathing. After a moment he felt her shift and his eyes flew open in shock as she slid onto his lap. “You’re not dead to me,” she said seriously.

“Yejin,” he started, but had to swallow. Not that he had known what he would have said anyway.

“I have something important to tell you.”

He meant to ask, “Do you need to sit on my lap to tell me?” but instead, he let out a very quiet squeak.

“And maybe I already said it and I forgot, but Leeteuk said I have to get it out.”

Unsure of what to do with his hands, he decided to just let them hang in midair. He tried to not think of how it looked.

“Okay,” he finally managed to breathe.

“I like you.”

Changmin blinked. Hadn’t they already gone over this?

“You-what?”

“Did I already say it?”

“I-No? I said it.”

The tension left her face and she smiled softly, “oh.”

That meant he didn’t have to say anything back, right? NO. Jaejoong screamed inside his head, RESPOND. NOW.

“I suck with words,” he said, finally deciding to put his hands to good use, and let them rest on her hips. 

“You don’t have to say anything,” she whispered, and Changmin had watched enough dramas to know what she wanted.

And he wanted to so bad. Kiss her. Make out. Tangle himself around her and breathe her in and, “I can see the lamp reflected in your eyes.”

She was frowning. Fantastic. “Sorry,” he apologized, “Sorry I’m so dumb. Oh God, I just went and ruined a moment. I’m so sorry.”

“Then fix it,” she whispered, and Changmin swallowed as he tugged on her hips without thinking. He thought he understood why Jaejoong loved this couch so damn much. It was like an aphrodisiac. Better than that, he amended, as Yejin’s hands slid around his face and into his hair. So much better.

Quite honestly, he was a little afraid to touch her. Afraid that if he held onto her for too long he’d compare her to Soo Ae, afraid that if he kissed her for too long, he’d want Soo Ae, afraid that if he fell in love, he wouldn’t be falling in love with her. So he pulled back, gently.

“Do you remember what I said to you?” he asked.

She looked a little heartbroken, but he didn’t let it faze him. There was a right way to go about this, and he had promised himself that he wasn’t going to damn everything to hell.

“Yejin, I do like you. I want you,” he added, squeezing her hips, loving how right they felt against his palms, loving how she smelled, she loving how looked, staring down at him, loving everything.

“I know,” she whispered, “I know, we need to find ourselves first.”

He caught her face with his fingertips as she tried to look away. “I promise you that it will be better.”

“I-I don’t--I feel so much, what am I supposed to do?”

Changmin wet his lips and tugged her down into a hug, “I don’t know, baby. I’m sorry. I really am. But this is smart.”

Her arms wound around him and he felt a sigh released against his shoulder, “I know. I just don’t like it.”

He chuckled and held up a pinky finger, “No more kisses,” he said, “not until we know who we are as individuals.”

She glared at the finger.

“I promise that the next kiss I give will be yours. This are no more kisses across the board. I won’t even kiss Jaejoong.”

“You’ve kissed Jaejoong?”

Changmin smiled, “Once. He was pining over Yunho and I tried to comfort him. It distracted him, at best.”

Yejin laughed. “Okay,” she agreed, and linked her pinky with his.

“Kiss your thumb,” Changmin directed, touching his own thumb to his lips.

She did as directed and Changmin pressed their thumbs together. “There. Sealed with a kiss,” he said.

Yejin snorted.

“What were you going to say?” Changmin finally asked, when Yejin made no move to vacate his lap after a few minutes had passed.

“When?”

“Before, when you were describing the couch. You said it feels like...what?”

He let her stew in her embarrassment before poking her side incessantly until she sighed.

“You,” she admitted, pushing his hand away, “It feels like you when you hold me tight.”

He swallowed and cursed the pact they had just made. If that wasn’t a sentence that could make you want to kiss someone, he didn’t know what was.

There was a key sounding in the lock, and Yejin scrambled off of him just before Jaejoong wheeled in, Sun Hea on his hip. “Where have you been? And you’re in a wheelchair? Why?” Changmin demanded, slightly thankful that he hadn’t had to respond. He squeezed Yejin’s fingers before standing.

Jaejoong held up a finger to his lips, and Changmin winced as he noticed that Sun Hea was sleeping. His friend disappeared for a second, and then was back, Sun Hea-less, and looking exhausted. Changmin could hear Ha Neul talking about cupcakes.

“What have you been doing?” Jaejoong asked, and Changmin noted the thread of suspicion in his voice.

“Talking. Trying to get ahold of you. Making fun of your furniture. What’s going on?”

“Your appearances tell me that you’ve been doing more than just talking.”

Changmin wasn’t sure how to reply, but Yejin sinking further into the couch and blushing furiously solved his dilemma, though not in the way he wanted.

Jaejoong rolled his eyes. “You two need a chaperone.”

 

~~~~

 

Yunho was helping Ha Neul take off her coat and scarf (that in his opinion was far too adult looking for a five year old, but who was he to judge?) when his phone rang.

“You will not believe what I just found out.”

“Oh?” Yunho asked, sighing heavily as Ha Neul skipped into the kitchen, leaving her mother and brother with all the bags. “You can put those in the other bedroom. I’m sorry I only have one to spare.”

“Yunho, pay attention!” Heechul’s voice shrieked, and Yunho winced.

“I am.”

“You remember my government friend? The one I had speak in class?”

“What? Oh, yeah. Lee Hongki, right?”

“Glad you remember,” Heechul bit out, “I had him look up some of the Dean’s records.”

“That quick?”

“He likes me. Anyway, the point is, did you know that he’s married?”

“The Dean is married?” Yunho asked, “Ha Neul, do not touch the stove. You need to wait for Jaejoong before you do anything. I didn’t know he was married.”

“Yeah, and you’ll never guess to whom.”

Yunho thought about it for a second. “I don’t know, Heechul. Who?”

“Guess.”

“Heechul, this really isn’t the time for games.”

“Sangmi.”

Yunho’s hand paused over the faucet. “What?”

“He’s married to Sangmi, Yunho. He’s younger than he says, and she’s older.”

“What.”

“They’re married. Hongki searched around on the web for me and found some wedding photos. You’ll never freaking guess who the Dean’s best man was.”

“Oh my God,” Yunho breathed, walking out of the kitchen, searching desperately for Jaejoong.

“Yeah,” Heechul snorted, “The asshole you prosecuted. I’m having Hongki print it all out, I’ll be over with Donghae in a few minutes.”

Yunho thought that he made some sort of acknowledgment before shutting his phone. “Go watch Ha Neul,” he looked at Changmin and Yejin, his finger pointing in the direction of the kitchen.

“What’s wrong?” Changmin asked.

“Changmin.”

The younger narrowed his eyes, but he grasped Yejin’s hand in his own.

“Yunho,” Jaejoong said cautiously, coming up beside him, hopping on one foot.

“Fuck, Jaejoong, they’re married.”

“Who?”

“The Dean. The Dean and Sangmi.”

Jaejoong’s eyes widened, “Married?” he squeaked. “How are they married?”

“Heechul has the documents. His best man...shit, Jae, this is ridiculous.”

Jaejoong led him to the couch, and Yunho collapsed, folding into Jaejoong’s arms, the emotions threatening to pour out of him. “What is it?”

“His best man was the senator. The one from my case.”

“Fuck,” Jaejoong swore.

“They must have done it. They pushed me, they wrecked the apartment, made the fake case. Oh my God. Jaejoong, what am I supposed to do?”

“Call the authorities. Or better yet, let Heechul do it, I don’t think you can think straight.”

Yunho let out another stream of curses and he desperately hope that none of the kids could hear. “Distract me,” he pleaded softly, “just for a minute.”

Jaejoong kissed him.

A minute (or two or five) later, his phone went off again and Jaejoong pulled it from Yunho’s hands before the lawyer could open it.

“Yoochun? We’re at our apartment.”

Yunho took a moment to appreciate the way Jaejoong said our apartment; it really did sound lovely.

“Yeah, the kids are here.”

Yunho spaced out as Jaejoong relayed the new information. In honestly, he supposed he that he should have seen in coming. Stupid curve balls.

Seungyon came into the living room, nervously, looking anxious and Yunho wondered if Sun Hea had woken or if Ha Neul had gotten into the fridge or--

“Outside,” Seungyon said.

“Hmm?”

“There’s people outside,” Seungyon clarified. “That guy, the one who came before.”

Yunho had no idea who Seungyon meant, but having people outside whose names weren’t Yoochun or Junsu wasn’t good. Yunho peeked out beyond the curtain and almost peed in relief when he saw Heechul and Donghae standing awkwardly in the parking lot.

“You gave me a heart attack,” Yunho accused, adding, “It’s just Heechul,” to soothe Jaejoong’s terrified look.

Jaejoong smacked Seungyon on the head.

“No,” Seungyon said, “Not them. I know them. There’s the other guy.”

Yunho’s relief caught in his throat and he looked back out. He didn’t see anything but Heechul hefting a large leaf of papers in his arms and Donghae leading him towards the entrance to the apartment building. “Where?”

“In the car. I saw it from the bedroom window.”

Yunho made a small guesstimate in his head and angled his view slightly.

Sangmi’s brother was leaning against a car watching Heechul and Donghae with great amusement.

“Changmin, come here.”

Yunho hoped that his voice made it apparent that he didn’t want to be graced with Yejin’s presence. Had he not been so upset, he would have congratulated himself when Changmin showed up alone. 

“What?”

Yunho pointed and helped Jaejoong over whose face had long since lost all it’s color.

Changmin swore viciously. 

The door buzzed, signaling Heechul and Donghae’s arrival and Yunho hurried to answer it, leaving Changmin and Jaejoong staring at the window, Yoochun shouting over the phone, demanding to know what had happened this time.

Yunho wrenched the door open, blew past Heechul and Donghae, and headed straight into the parking lot. 

“You.”

He didn’t yell it, but there was so much force that Sangmi’s cousin paused mid-drag.

“Jung,” he acknowledged, smoke slipping from his lips.

“Why the hell are you in my parking lot?”

“I wasn’t aware that this was your parking lot.”

“This is for tenants only,” Yunho hissed out of his teeth.

The man only smiled.

“Leave, or I’ll call the cops.”

“I’m not trespassing.”

Yunho smiled tightly. “Yejin is with me, right now. You cannot be this close to her. Get out.”

The man’s eyes narrowed. “You’re lying.”

“I swear to God,” Yunho hissed, “If you do not move yourself to an appropriate distance, your ass will spend several, long, years in jail.”

The other stared for a minute before tossing his cigarette and stamping it out. “Fine. But I’ll get her. I swear to you, I will get her.”

“Over my dead, fucking, body.”

“If that’s what it takes.”

Yunho saw the punch coming (it was the sloppiest punch ever,) and he decided not to move. He’d taken harder hits, to be sure, but he still stumbled back as the other man’s knuckles cracked into his cheekbone.

“Fag,” the other man spat, and Yunho took it, because really, it just wasn’t worth it.

 

~~~~

 

“You idiot.” 

Jaejoong was seething, torn between whacking Yunho over the head with something hard, or just landing another punch over the bruise he already had. He settled for thwacking the top of Yunho’s head with a pillow. “Ow?”

“You complete moron, what were you thinking?”

“Um.”

“God, Yunho, I almost had a heart attack when I saw you run out there. Are you trying to kill me?”

“No.”

“What the hell, then.”

“I’m sorry?”

Jaejoong ground his teeth. “What were you thinking?”

“Um. I don’t want him anywhere near Yejin?”

“And so you charged right out like some freaking knight in shining armor? Genius.”

“I’m sorry,” Yunho said again.

Jaejoong sighed, and decided that maybe he could wait to be mad until after he got Yunho some ice. “Wait here.”

He belatedly thought that their apartment was getting increasingly crowded. Heechul handed him an icepack.

“Cupcakes?” Ha Neul asked, perking up as soon as she saw Jaejoong in the kitchen.

“Not now, sweetie,” his sister cooed, “Let’s go set up the beds, okay? I’m sure Jaejoong won’t mind at all if we make a fort. Alright?”

Jaejoong didn’t wait to hear the rest of the exchange, wheeling back into the living room and sitting down next to Yunho, pressing the ice to his face. “What am I going to do with you? You really scared me.”

“It was stupid,” Yunho whispered, “But shit Jae, I was just so damn angry.”

“We’re all angry,” Jaejoong soothed.

“I’m sorry.”

“You need to go talk to Yejin. She’s a mess.”

Yunho swallowed, taking the ice pack from Jaejoong. “In our room,” Jaejoong directed, and he followed Yunho. 

Yejin was curled into the blankets, crying quietly, Changmin smoothing her hair from her face and whispering into her ear. It took no encouragement for Yunho to lift Yejin up and pull her close.

“I’m sorry,” she said, “I’m so sorry, all this because of me.”

“It’s not because of you. It’s my fault, Yejin. I was stupid.”

“I think I might have Ha Neul deprive you of your cupcake, if we ever get around to making them.”

“See?” Yunho grumbled, and Yejin sniffed, a smile breaking through her tears. 

“You don’t have to keep doing this. It’s not worth all of you getting hurt,” she gently touch the ice pack that Jaejoong was holding up for Yunho.

“It’s nothing, I’ve been hit worse. And you’re worth it.” Yunho raised her chin, “Never, ever think that you aren’t worth saving, Yejin, because you are.”

She didn’t smile, but she nodded, and Jaejoong let out an inner sigh of relief.

 

~~~~

 

After a day, Yunho’s bruise had gone down. There were sleeping bags and blankets all over the floor because Yunho hadn’t wanted Yejin to leave, which meant that Changmin also stayed. Jaejoong thanked whatever higher power existed that the drama was going down over the weekend, because it allowed his sister to not have to commute to work.

Food had proven difficult until Donghae had offered himself and Heechul to run errands. Heechul hadn’t at all looked pleased about it, but he said nothing, and delivered take out with a pleasant smile. 

Saturday night added Junsu and Yoochun into the mix, and Jaejoong had finally settled enough to make cupcakes. He was also limping around instead of wheeling himself, which was a major plus. He and Ha Neul spent the evening dousing them in pink frosting and sprinkles. 

“Lollipops,” she insisted, loudly.

“No,” Jaejoong said, at the same time his sister shouted it from the living room.

Her bottom lip quivered a little.

“Ha Neul, girls who cry cannot make cupcakes.”

The movement ceased immediately. “More frosting?”

“There isn’t any other place to put frosting, move onto the next one.”

Ha Neul set the sticky cake aside and Jaejoong sighed as he surreptitiously wiped the excess sugar off.

“Jae!”

Jaejoong beckoned to Yejin as she walked by, instructing her to watch the Sugar Queen for a minute, and set off to find Yunho. “What?”

Yunho was slipping on shoes with Heechul. 

“Where are you going?”

“To find the Dean.”

“What.”

“Don’t be mad.”

“Yunho.”

“This needs to happen. I need to confront him, Jaejoong.”

“What about me?”

Yunho pulled him in for a hug. “No.”

“That’s not fair,” Jaejoong pouted, and Yunho pulled back enough to wipe a bit of frosting off his cheek.

“You’re so beautiful,” he whispered.

“Please.”

“This is my problem. I don’t want you involved.”

“Don’t be stupid, that’s exactly what Yejin said.”

Yunho swallowed. “She was right. This is about me and how I need to fix this. I called the cops, we’re going to his house. This ends tonight, Jae.”

“You have nothing on him.”

“I have a lot on him,” Heechul said, “Enough to indict and convict for several things. That, with Yejin’s testimony that she wrote out, and we’ll get Sangmi too.”

“I want to be there.”

“I don’t want you hurt; you’re still limping, Jae, if Kangin knew that you were walking around--”

“I’m not a woman; don’t leave me here because you think I’m weak.”

“I know who you are,” Yunho said, with so much fervor, Jaejoong wondered why he had brought it up, “You will be there in court. Right now, you need to be here, with the kids, Jae. With Yejin. Please.”

“No one’s going off to war, here,” Heechul interrupted, “We’re just going to watch them get arrested. He’ll be back before you know it.”

“I don’t like it.”

“I’ll be fine,” Yunho kissed him, once, soundly, “Save me a cupcake.”

Jaejoong wasn’t sure what he was feeling as Yunho and Heechul slipped outside, Yunho giving him one last reassuring smile before closing the apartment door. 

“Where are they going?”

Turning, Jaejoong licked his lips, trying to make his words come out. Junsu had his eyebrows raised.

“Jae?”

“The Dean. They’re going to arrest the Dean. I mean, not by themselves, just, I,” Jaejoong swallowed.

Junsu pulled Jaejoong into a hug, “Hey, you don’t have to freak out.”

“How can I not?” he moaned, “Why couldn’t I have gone? What right does he have to tell me to stay here?”

“Jaejoong,” Junsu warned softly.

“It’s not fair. We’re in things together, aren’t we? I love him, Junsu, we’re supposed to share our burdens, not ‘shoulder our own problems’ so the other person doesn’t have to deal with them.”

“That doesn’t mean you have to go with him. Sharing a problem with someone doesn’t mean doing everything exactly equal. Being equal doesn’t always mean doing the exact same thing. You’re supposed to compliment each other, Jaejoong.”

“This and that are not related,” Jaejoong’s voice was raising slightly, as he pulled away from his friend. His confusion and hurt was quickly being replaced with anger, and he was quite willing to accept that.

“Yes they are,” Junsu placated, “Jaejoong, however you see it, this is Yunho’s case. Honestly, if it was you, if all of this was revolving around you, and you had a chance to go and fix it, would you want Yunho there, or would you want him waiting for you when you came home?”

Jaejoong shut his eyes, trying not explode.

“Do you think he wants you to see him like that? Especially after what happened with Sangmi’s cousin and how you reacted?”

“How was I supposed to react?” Jaejoong asked, sensing the tears of frustration, “He always puts himself in danger, every single time and I can’t do anything about it. He doesn’t let me!”

Junsu reached out, a sad smile gracing his features, and ran his fingers through Jaejoong’s hair.

“Does he not trust me?”

“He is trusting you,” Junsu assured his friend, “He’s trusting you with everyone else here.”

“That’s such a cop out. I don’t want to be trusted with this.”

“It’s not often that we’re given what we want.”

“I want to be trusted with him,” Jaejoong moaned, moving forward, back into the safety of Junsu’s arms.

“You have been,” Junsu assured him, “You have his heart, Jae, that’s the most important thing.”

“Damn heart had better come back to me so I can beat his ass,” was the muffled reply.

“It will,” Junsu promised, “He will.”

There was a sudden, loud wail from the kitchen that sounded suspiciously like Ha Neul, and Jaejoong sighed once, before hurrying back, wincing every time he put weight on his bad foot. Yejin immediately hid behind him like Ha Neul was a child of the devil. Jaejoong knew how that felt.

“I-I said she couldn’t put in a lollipop. She can’t right? I thought I heard you say that.”

Jaejoong did not hold back as he glared at Ha Neul; she rubbed her nose and covered it in frosting. “Are you done with decorating, Ha Neul?”

“No.”

“I think you should be. Yejin is going to decorate the last few. Apologize to her, please, and we’ll go wash the frosting off of you.”

Ha Neul pouted but muttered an apology.

“Come on.”

Jaejoong hadn’t noticed his sister, but he was grateful as she took her daughter’s hand and led her towards the bathroom. “Not so bad, right?” Jaejoong asked a still cowering Yejin, “Don’t let her intimidate you.”

Yejin nodded. 

“I’ll make a good babysitter of you yet,” he promised, “Now, help me do these last few. We should have at least a few that are more cake than frosting.”

She smiled and Jaejoong frosted a heart onto one the cupcakes and set it aside for Yunho.

Jaejoong cleaned the kitchen, helped Seungyon with a little homework, played a game he couldn’t remember with Yejin and Changmin, and cleaned some more, because with so many people crowded into such a small space, it got very dirty, very fast. He knew he shouldn’t have, should have rested, put his feet up, but he couldn’t stay still. He ignored the pain.

He almost spilled his cleaning solution all over the floor when the phone rang.

“Hey.”

“I hope you’re on your way home, because I am itching to beat you senseless.”

“We don’t know where they are.”

Jaejoong blinked, “What?”

“They are’t anywhere. They think he skipped town, maybe a few towns. I don’t know.”

Jaejoong slid down against the wall and cradled the phone, “I’m sorry,” he said honestly.

“It’s fine,” Yunho replied, “They’ll find them eventually; they have an arrest warrant, so I’m happy.”

He listened to Yunho take a few breaths before saying, “I frosted a cupcake just for you.”

“Keep it away from Changmin.”

They both chuckled.

“I’ll be back soon, then you can kick my knees, okay?”

“Okay.”

“I love you.”

“I know,” Jaejoong replied, “I love you too.”

 

~~~~

 

When the doorbell rang ten minutes later, Jaejoong practiced his lines in his head. “Did you lose your keys now? On top of everything?” Ha Neul skipped ahead of him (newly cleaned and grinning, despite the recent lecture Jaejoong had over heard Jihye delivering,) and tried to open the door.

“It’s locked, baby,” Jaejoong chided, and slid the bolt across, letting her twist the door knob. “Yunho!” Ha Neul grinned.

Jaejoong’s blood ran cold.

“You’re not Yunho,” Ha Neul managed, before Jaejoong grabbed her and hid her behind himself.

“We’re friends.”

“You are not a friend,” Jaejoong hissed.

“What am I?”

“Screwed,” Jaejoong proclaimed, eyes narrowed, “You lied to us.”

The Dean crossed his arms. “Can I come in?”

Jaejoong was torn for moment. The longer he stalled, the greater the chance of Yunho coming back while the Dean was here. 

“What would you say if I let you in, exactly?”

“I want to know why you think I’ve lied.”

There was a scuffle in the kitchen and Yoochun appeared in the doorway, Junsu following. “I have some very strong words to say to you,” Yoochun started.

“Jaejoong, get Ha Neul out of here,” Junsu directed.

Jaejoong didn’t think twice, he grasped Ha Neul’s hand and hurriedly limped away, heading straight for the phone. He didn’t really remember much of the conversation. There was a lot of whispering and a lot of swearing, and the sounds of Heechul yelling. He did recall promising Yunho to keep the Dean occupied for as long as possible. “Give him a cupcake if you have to, Jae, we’re almost there.”

Jaejoong was not at all about to give him any of the sweets that Ha Neul had spent so long making. Suddenly, every single one of them seemed more precious than gold.

His ankle was throbbing and sat down on the floor gingerly, listening to the murmur of voices by the door: Yoochun’s low growling and Junsu’s high squeaking. The Dean started to sound more and more upset. Jaejoong hope that no one would get hurt.

It seemed like forever until there was the pounding of foot steps and yelling and finally, Jaejoong heard sirens and he thought that he might cry.

Instead, he fainted.

 

~~~~

 

When Jaejoong woke, blearily, someone was stroking his hair. “Mmmfff.”

“Hey,” Yunho’s voice murmured.

“Mmm.”

“Stop making those noises. They remind me of things I can’t do to you right now.”

Jaejoong smiled and blinked, clearing the fog from his brain. “Hey,” he said, “What happened?”

“You passed out,” Yunho said, “I almost died when I walked in and saw you out cold on the floor. Yejin was hysterical; sobbing her eyes out. She thought someone had shot you and Changmin had to spend a very large amount of time calming her down. I’m not sure how he did it.”

“M’sorry.”

“I hate to say I told you so,” Yunho started, “but, isn’t it a good thing you didn’t come with me?”

Jaejoong pulled a face that Yunho was very quick to kiss away. “Did you find your cupcake?” Jaejoong asked, licking at his kissed lips as soon as Yunho pulled away.

“It was delicious,” Yunho assured him, “The perfect amount of everything. Ha Neul saw me with it and tried to share some of her frosting with me, but I persuaded her otherwise.”

“Mmm.”

“Don’t,” Yunho warned.

Jaejoong felt his inner devil do a little dance. “The Dean?” he finally asked.

“Arrested,” Yunho’s answer was smug, “You can commend me for impeccable timing whenever you want.”

Jaejoong scoffed, but he squeezed Yunho’s hand tightly, “Now what?”

“Now we have a case,” Yunho replied, immensely pleased.

Jaejoong savored the thrill the words sent through his body. A case. A real case that he could fight with Yunho. Oh, how he had dreamt of this.

“Yejin?”

“Buying dinner with Changmin. Are you up for visitors, or shall I continue to turn them away?” Yunho eyed him carefully, “Ha Neul did say she had a present for you. It was very suspiciously wrapped and I think I saw some frosting leaking out of it.”

Jaejoong laughed. “Help me up; you’re here with me, so I can face the masses.”

Yunho lifted him and set him carefully into the wheelchair. “Kangin came and rewrapped your ankle. He said you shouldn’t have walked on it.”

“Too much to do.”

“Which is why you fainted, idiot.” Yunho flicked his forehead.

“Ow.”

“Now we’re even,” Yunho smirked, and bent down to kiss Jaejoong again. “Are you really mad at me?”

“I was. But now I’m glad that I was here. You were right; I’m in no shape to traipse about arresting people. Or watch them get arrested. I realized that as soon as I saw the Dean in the doorway.”

Yunho leaned in for another kiss.

“But if you ever leave me alone like that again, I really will kill you.”

“I won’t,” Yunho promised, “You’re involved from now on. You’ll only ever be here. With me.”

Jaejoong’s smile returned and he felt as though he could take on the world, “Wheel me out, I have a cupcake to eat.”


	28. Every Little Thing About You

“So, I have a question. Actually, I have several, but this one is the most pressing.”

Somehow, and Jaejoong wasn’t exactly sure how anyone had allowed this to happen, Heechul had gotten a hold of the conversation and was monopolizing it. Jaejoong suspected that maybe everyone else was just too tired to care much about it.

“I would like to know how Yejin wasn’t aware of the fact that the Dean was married. To Sangmi, I mean.”

He hadn’t wanted to bring it up, but Jaejoong had been wondering the same thing. He glanced at Yejin, carefully tucked under Changmin’s arm (which Jaejoong fully intended to ask about later,) and waited. Is it too soon to be asking that?

“I don’t know,” Yejin admitted softly. “They certainly did a good job of hiding it from me, but now that I look back on it, it does make sense.”

“Explain,” Heechul prompted, arms crossed over his chest.

“She always went out at night. She claimed to be partying, and maybe sometimes she did, but I never saw her until the next day, either late morning or at school.”

“You didn’t attend their wedding?”

“There were a lot of things I wasn’t allowed to attend; several of them were weddings. I really don’t remember a lot of my younger life.”

“How old did you think Sangmi was?” Yunho asked.

Jaejoong had to admit, it was an important question. Exactly how old was she and how old was the Dean?

“I always thought she looked older than me,” Yejin said.

“The records say she’s twenty-six,” Heechul supplied, “Or maybe it was twenty-seven, I forget.”

“Surgery does wonders,” Junsu added helpfully, “Besides which, look at Yunho. He doesn’t look twen-wait, how old are you?”

“And the Dean?” Jaejoong pressed, pressing a hand to Yunho’s mouth, “I thought he was like, forty.”

Yunho tried to bite his fingers and Jaejoong glared at him until he shrunk back meekly against the couch cushions. Junsu looked slightly put out, but as Yoochun patted his arm and whispered something into the other’s ear, Jaejoong knew he didn’t have to worry about it. There was no sense in having conversations that would inevitably lead to long, unneeded tangents.

“The Dean is thirty-five,” Heechul said after shooting the five of them an odd look, “Hongki found his birth certificate for me.”

Jaejoong did the math. He supposed that seven or eight years wasn’t too bad, considering that there was a couple in his home town that had married with an twelve year difference.

“So now you have a case, right?” Changmin asked.

“For the Dean, yes,” Yunho agreed, as Jaejoong released his mouth. “Sangmi, however,” The lawyer turned to Yejin, “And your family, I’m not sure about. It sort of all depends on you.”

Yejin bit her lip and Jaejoong was terribly amused as he noticed Changmin look away deliberately.

“Did you write out that statement?” Jaejoong asked.

She nodded, shyly, and Changmin squeezed her shoulder. “She did a good job,” he said, “It’s all there. Organized and highlighted by yours truly. No need to thank me.”

“I won’t,” Jaejoong resisted the urge to scowl. He had never liked the way Changmin organized things, “Because I’ll have to do it all over again.”

It looked for a moment like Changmin was going to hit him.

“Okay,” Yunho cleared his throat, laying a hand on Jaejoong’s arm, “I’m sure it’s fine, Changmin--“

“I’m sure it’s not,” Jaejoong growled.

Yunho sighed, “Well, as long as it’s all there, I don’t care how it’s organized.” This was, as everyone in the room knew, a very blatant lie, but no one had enough energy to argue.

“I think,” Yunho said slowly, “We can probably start out with abuse for your brother and Sangmi. Your family, perhaps, as accomplices, though I’ll need to read through what you wrote and see if that will fly.”

“Child endangerment, maybe, or negligence,” Heechul mused and the way Yunho’s eyes lit up told Jaejoong that that was their best option.

“I’m not a child,” Yejin muttered.

“You’re still eighteen,” Yunho said, “and not of age, so it counts. Even if you weren’t, when you were a child, they did nothing to stop the abuse. Correct?”

Yejin worked her jaw for a moment before nodding.

Jaejoong wiggled out from under Yunho’s arm and knelt beside Yejin. “If you’re not ready to do this, then we can wait.”

“I want to do it,” Yejin replied immediately, clasping her hands together tightly, “I have to do it.”

Jaejoong squeezed her kneecap. 

“Excellent attitude,” Heechul nodded approvingly, “I wish that I had had you as a student.”

Yejin hid her face in Changmin’s shoulder and Jaejoong only just managed to not laugh when he heard her mumble, “I don’t think I would have wanted you as a professor.”

Heechul acted like he hadn’t heard.

 

~~~~

 

In the end, Heechul was the one that ended up officially serving the court summons to Yejin’s family. Jaejoong didn’t go for fear of punching them all in their faces, and Changmin stayed for fear of slitting their throats.

Yunho said that he would wait to get at them in the court room.

Yoochun and Junsu decided to tag along with Heechul and the three of them came back grinning like idiots. “You should have seen their faces,” Yoochun said, “I wish I could have had a camera. This case is going to be epic I tell you, epic.”

“I’m so jealous,” Junsu whined.

Jaejoong patted Yejin’s head and said, “You’re well taken care of, my dear.”

Yejin had burst into tears and spent fifteen minutes hugging each one of them, thank yous and I love yous spilling out of her mouth.

Jaejoong would have cracked a joke about it, but he was far too happy to ruin her mood. As it was, he had to glare at Yoochun as he saw the wisecracks forming on his lips.

Two days later, kids gone, apartment emptied, and papers for the case all over the floor, found Changmin packed and ready to leave for Japan.

Kangin refused to allow Jaejoong up from the wheelchair and so he found himself being wheeled into the airport by Yunho in order to see Changmin off. “I feel so dilapidated,” Jaejoong whined.

“You will be in so much trouble if you get up out of this wheelchair,” Yunho hissed, “You are not going to push yourself like before.”

Jaejoong sniffed airily and when Yunho went to double check departure times, attempted to stand so that he could give Changmin a proper hug. He wobbled on his one good foot for a minute, and then hopped, latching onto Changmin from behind.

Changmin looked up from printing his ticket and rolled his eyes. “Yunho is going to kill you.”

“I need to give you a hug.”

“While I’m getting my ticket?”

Jaejoong squeezed him tighter and Changmin sighed. “Fine, but when he skins you alive, I wasn’t part of it.”

He turned, and allowed Jaejoong to burrow in close. In all actuality, Jaejoong didn’t know what he was going to do without Changmin. He had always been there.

“You’ve got Yunho for your nightmares, now, I don’t know why you’re sticking to me like this.”

“Stupid,” Jaejoong muttered, blinking back tears.

“Don’t cry; you’re going to attract Yunho’s attention.”

He drew a shaky breath, trying to calm him nerves, “Stupid,” he repeated, “I’m going to miss you so much.”

Changmin laughed and they stayed like that for a full five minutes. Somehow, the knowledge that he wouldn’t be able to give Changmin a hug whenever he wanted was very saddening, and he wanted to hold on for as long as possible.

“Kim. Jaejoong.” But oh, the irony of his life.

“Told you,” Changmin teased, “Remember. I am not involved in your rule breaking.”

Jaejoong was very firmly pulled from Changmin and glared at. “Sit,” Yunho said firmly, “And you had better not get up again.”

Jaejoong pouted for a minute or two, but energized by his rule breaking hug, he couldn’t manage to stay upset for long. By the same token, he thought, Yunho seeing him so happy also meant that he wasn’t really mad.

“I’m going to miss my plane at this rate,” Changmin complained.

“We’re waiting for Junsu and Yoochun,” Yunho said, coming behind Jaejoong and shooting him a dirty look as he shifted in his seat.

“Guess I’m never leaving, then.”

“Yejin and Leeteuk are with them,” Jaejoong added helpfully, and snickered to himself as Changmin’s expression changed and his attitude flipped 180 degrees. 

“Oh. Um.”

“Sit,” Jaejoong pointed helpfully to a chair and then tugged on Yunho’s arm. “Bathroom,” he ordered.

“Fine,” Yunho grumbled, “But while we’re in there, we’re going to have a small discussion about how you will not be standing anymore without my express permission.”

 

~~~~

 

Changmin watched as Yunho wheeled Jaejoong away, whispering into his ear and making Jaejoong snort. Not that he would be caught dead admitting it, but he was going to miss Jaejoong as much as Jaejoong was going to miss him. Even his gushing.

“Hey.”

Changmin turned around and smiled as Yejin and Leeteuk came up to him. “Hi.”

“Where’s Jaejoong?” Leeteuk asked.

“Using the bathroom while simultaneously receiving a lecture from Yunho.”

“Did he stand on his bad foot?” Leeteuk asked immediately, crossing his arms. Changmin nodded and as Leeteuk pressed his lips together, he sensed another lecture on Jaejoong’s horizon.

“I had nothing to do with it, no matter what he tells you.”

Leeteuk eyed him and placed Yejin’s hand in his, before stalking off to the bathroom, muttering under his breath.

“I’m not five,” Yejin blushed and Changmin laughed, tugging her down onto the chair beside him and squeezing her hand tightly. 

“Admit it, it’s nice that he cares.”

“Doesn’t need to hand me off like I’m going to disappear, though.”

Changmin laughed and allowed Yejin to rest her head on his shoulder. He didn’t say anything more for fear that he would rip his heart into two. Leaving Yejin wasn’t going to be easy, either.

“Aw.”

Changmin scowled. Yoochun, however, he wouldn’t mind leaving behind so much. At least, he wouldn’t mind leaving behind the teasing. He would get the last word in today, oh yes he would. 

“Where’s everyone else?” Junsu asked, plopping down beside Changmin.

“Lecturing Jaejoong,” Yejin said, her face still a bright shade of red.

“He’s probably enjoying it more than he should, masochistic bastard,” Yoochun crossed his arms.

“At least until Leeteuk joined in,” Changmin said and felt a small twinge of pride as Yejin laughed.

“Aw,” Yoochun said again and Changmin lunged for him just as Jaejoong was wheeled back into view, looking properly chastised. 

“Children.” Jaejoong said sternly, but he was grinning as Yoochun cowered behind Yunho. “Ready?”

Changmin snarled once before straightening his coat. “I’ve been ready to leave the lot of you behind for forever.”

“Grammar,” Yunho said, his tone mirroring that of Jaejoong’s moments ago.

“My grammar is fine,” Changmin sniffed, before he was enveloped in Yunho’s arms. “Thanks for being such an awesome professor,” he said, “and thank you for taking Jaejoong out of my hair.”

“You are most welcome,” Yunho replied seriously, and proceeded to squeeze the air out of his lungs.

“You still owe me a class,” Leeteuk said, when Changmin hugged him awkwardly.

“Take care of her for me,” Changmin whispered.

“Don’t change the subject,” the professor admonished, but added, “you know I will.”

Changmin ignored Jaejoong, earning him a vicious glare, and an approving nod from Yunho. 

Yoochun shed a few tears, which everyone teased him about, including Yejin. Junsu attempted to be brusque, but he ended up clinging to Changmin like he was going to die.

“I’ll be back mid-winter sometime,” Changmin promised, “It’s not like you’re never going to see me again. Good Lord.”

“But I’m really going to miss you,” Junsu wailed, and Changmin shoved him away.

He smiled softly when he got to Yejin and he was grateful towards Jaejoong as his friend made everyone look away. 

“I’m really gonna miss you,” Yejin murmured, as Changmin pulled her into a tight hug.

“Remember what I said about calling me. I will honestly pay for it, okay?”

“Kay.”

Yejin wiggled up onto her toes and pressed a kiss to Changmin’s cheek.

“Hey, we promised.”

She rolled her eyes, “Yeah okay; that’s not the kind of kissing we swore off.”

Changmin stared at her bending down and returning the gesture. “Seriously,” he whispered against her cheek, “You need to watch what you do. I’m going to dream about that for the entire plane ride.”

“Good.”

Changmin released her with a roll of his eyes, “Leeteuk take her back; she’s becoming sneaky, I don’t like it.”

Leeteuk had a huge grin on his face as he pulled Yejin into the crook of his arm, “Glad to hear that; it means I’ve been doing my job.”

Changmin slung his laptop bad onto his shoulder as his flight was announced over the speakers again. 

“Promise to call when you get there,” Jaejoong said, clinging to Changmin’s legs from his wheelchair.

“Whatever you say, Umma.”

Jaejoong punched his leg lightly, but didn’t release him from his arms. Changmin looked to Yunho helplessly.

Yunho came up and carefully pried Jaejoong away, “Let him go, Jae. You can squeeze the breath out of me, instead, okay?”

Jaejoong seemed to think this an acceptable compromise and Yunho patted his head and Changmin straightened himself out.

“Be safe,” Junsu said from where he had his fingers in Yoochun’s belt loops and his chin on Yoochun’s shoulder.

Changmin smirked, “You too.”

He waved before Junsu could work out the joke (Yoochun already had and was snorting into his sleeve,) and walked away, winking at Yejin before she disappeared from his line of sight. 

He paused behind a column and shut his eyes. He could just barely hear Junsu’s squeak of outrage and Yoochun’s now outright howls of laughter and he smiled. As much as he was trying not to think about it, he was going to miss all of them. Horribly.

 

~~~~

 

“What am I supposed to do without him?”

Yunho glanced up from his tea and deep contemplation of life (he had actually been contemplating Jaejoong but no one needed to know that,) and frowned. “Sorry?”

“Changmin,” Jaejoong pouted, “Three years of him in my life and now poof. Gone.”

“He hasn’t died,” Yunho pointed out, hoping that it sounded more hopeful than morbid.

“But he’s not here.”

“I am.”

“Jung Yunho, are you jealous?”

“Of course not,” Yunho responded, and he wasn’t, “It’s Changmin. I’m not worried at all.”

“He’s kissed me before.”

Yunho’s hand stopped half way to his tea cup. “What?”

“I used to dream about you,” Jaejoong said, “I would wake up in the middle of the night and Changmin would have to calm me down because I was so worked up about everything. Kissing was one of his tactics to get me mad and not sad.”

Yunho worked the inside of his cheek before sliding closer and laying his hand on Jaejoong’s. “I didn’t know.”

“Because I didn’t want you to know.”

“What kind of dreams?”

“What kind do you think?” Jaejoong pulled a face and Yunho leaned in to kiss him.

“So that’s how you know what I like.”

Jaejoong punched him and then laid his head on Yunho’s shoulder, squishing himself down further into the couch.

“You’re so abusive.”

“Only because you don’t think before you speak.”

Yunho chuckled and then pressed a kiss to the top of Jaejoong’s head. There were no words for how much he loved this man. “How are classes?” 

“Fine,” Jaejoong responded, tangling his fingers with Yunho’s, “I can see where you get all your teaching tendencies.”

Yunho laughed again.

“Heechul’s making them all argue like I did over the summer. He said that it was a brilliant idea and he’s mad that he didn’t think of it first.”

“Just goes to show you that you’re a genius,” Yunho whispered, and he didn’t need to look to see the thrill that the words sent through Jaejoong’s body. “You know, I dreamt of you too. I dreamt that you would walk up to my office and stride in, lock the door, and pin me to my chair.”

Jaejoong turned slightly, “Really?”

“All the time.”

Jaejoong clucked and as slid himself onto Yunho’s lap, the lawyer immediately regretted saying anything. “You should have told me sooner,” Jaejoong breathed into his ear, “I could have done that.”

Yunho tried to laugh but it came out as a strangled gasp. “I like this much better,” he assured Jaejoong, as the other ran his lips across his jaw and then placed a chaste kiss on his mouth. “Much, much better.”

“Me too,” Jaejoong smiled.

Yunho tugged Jaejoong’s body down to the couch and they somehow worked their limbs around each other, Jaejoong resting his head near Yunho’s collarbone. He kissed it, impulsively, and Yunho gently tickled his side in response, ever careful of his foot.

“You really did dream about me?”

“Yes. And I thought about you too. And I watched you. We’ve been over this.”

“I love hearing it,” Jaejoong murmured, and Yunho smiled as he felt Jaejoong’s breath on his skin.

“I thought I had died and gone to heaven when I saw you in class that first time, and then, I heard you gushing to Changmin one day--“

Jaejoong groaned and Yunho laughed, stroking at his former student’s hair.

“I knew I had to have died, because there was no way the the most beautiful man I’d ever seen could have a crush on me. And why are you laughing, you know all this. I’m going through all this again because it makes you happy, so pay attention.”

Jaejoong buried his face further and Yunho could imagine the blush that was spreading over his skin. “Okay, I’ll stop. Moral of the story is that you’re beautiful and you struck me dumb and I’m so lucky that you’re lying here with me.”

“So mushy,” Jaejoong’s muffled voice floated from the depths of Yunho’s body, but he sounded pleased. Yunho nudged at Jaejoong’s head and it turned.

There was something about the way Jaejoong’s mouth moved against his, that always made Yunho’s stomach squirm. He tried to remind himself that he wasn’t a girl, and it was just a kiss and it shouldn’t effect him like this, especially not over and over. But, it was Jaejoong he was kissing; Kim Jaejoong, who was quite possibly the most beautiful human being on the face of the planet, who loved him irrevocably, who gushed over him, and made a fool out of himself because of it, and was related to three of the most adorable children ever, and had three best friends who were now Yunho’s friends, and who quite simply had become his entire world.

“Yunho? Why are you crying?”

Yunho blinked and took a shaky breath, realizing that Jaejoong had gone from stroking his cheek to wiping away tears.

“I just, I just love you. I really love everything about you.”

He watched as Jaejoong eyes searched his face and then crinkled as he smiled. “You kiss much better than Changmin,” he said confidentially. It took Yunho a minute to process his sentence before they were both laughing into each other’s shoulders. And then he caught Jaejoong’s gaze and they kissing again before he had time to properly think.

“Are you ready for this,” Yunho asked, when they parted, “Are you ready for this trial and living with me and loving me and--“

“Are you ready?” Jaejoong interrupted with a raised eyebrow.

Yunho’s lip twitched as he tried not be serious and not grin like a mad person. “Absolutely. I’ve been ready my whole life, Jaejoong.” 

Jaejoong regarded him for a minute. “I’m not ready for the trial,” he admitted, “I’m scared, mostly for Yejin, but I’m determined to do it right.”

“You will,” Yunho assured him, “We will.”

“And as far as living with you goes, I think I have some practice under my belt.”

“No kids this time,” Yunho reminded him.

“No kids,” Jaejoong agreed, “I love them, but I am extremely happy that they will no longer be interruptions. And as far as loving you goes...I don’t want to dream about it any more. I don’t want to wake up and realize that you’re not actually sleeping next to me or that I didn’t actually kiss you or make love to you or cook you dinner or laugh at how cheesy or stubborn you can be.“

“Sure you can handle me?” Yunho asked, “It sounds like that list was slowly sliding downwards into things you overlook due to great sex.”

Jaejoong scooted his face up and kissed Yunho tenderly with a smile that melted his heart.

“Nonsense. I’ve loved you by myself for a long time, Jung Yunho, I’m quite ready to be in love with you, forever.”

It was probably the best thing Yunho had ever heard in his life. He meant to tell Jaejoong that, but by the time he had processed a response, Jaejoong had fallen asleep.

Yunho stroked Jaejoong's hair in time with his even breathing, and held back tears as the past few months finally sank into his brain.

Really, he thought, as he drifted off to sleep, he was the luckiest man alive.


	29. Extras, Deletions, and Drabbles

No particular place:

Jaejoong woke feeling like his head weighed an extra five or ten pounds. He heard a fuzzy sound which was slightly reminiscent of Sun Hea at six in the morning and he groaned, burrowing further into covers and Yunho.

The insistent noise grew as he tried to figure out exactly what was going on. Something that felt like a kiss was pressed to his temple, and he thought that perhaps someone had tucked him more snugly into bed. He decided that meant he could go back to sleep, so he did.

It felt like five minutes before what was definitely a kiss brush across his cheek. He cracked an eye to see Yunho kneeling next to him, stroking hair from his face.

“What time is it?” His throat burned and he coughed, the words an intrusion on his raw throat.

"Noon," Yunho said.

Jaejoong tried to sit up, class, kids, food, holy shit class, flying through his mind, but he only managed to roll slightly, flailing helplessly in the sheets.

"Nnmmmff..."

"That's what I thought. Stay still, let me get some water. Stay still Jaejoong.”

Why was it noon? And why the hell was he coughing? Germs did not take over Kim Jaejoong's body, they knew better. Or so he had thought.

"Feel terrible," Jaejoong whispered, as Yunho helped him sip slowly at a glass of water, the cool liquid soothing an his aches.

"You look like you feel terrible," Yunho set the glass of water onto Jaejoong's nightstand and lowered his lover back down to the comfort of his pillows. "Do you want something? Medicine?"

"Kiss," Jaejoong mumbled, his eyes drooping, and the made a pleasurable sound in the back of his throat as his request was granted.

"Go back to sleep," Yunho whispered.

"Kay," Jaejoong turned his face back to the pillow and fell asleep feeling Yunho's hand soothing his back.

 

~~~~

As Kangin cut off Yejin’s clothing:

 

“So there was this one time freshman year, and this will be fun because I don’t think Yunho knows--”

“Changmin,” Jaejoong warned, “if you’re gonna spill what I think-”

“Jaejoong was really silly back then, like I don’t even know what happened to him. Such a huge character difference.”

“Minnie...”

“And he was wicked gullible.”

Yoochun was laughing, “Junsu told me this. Yunho, hold Jaejoong tight and make sure he doesn’t get up and leave.”

“Dongsaeng.” Jaejoong warned, feeling his face heat up.

“Hush,” Yunho wrapped his arms around Jaejoong tighter, “I want to hear this.”

The TA groaned, “I’m going to die.”

“So he said how he would gush before class, right? Yeah, well. I really don’t think his gushing ever stopped. Constant, non-stop, holy shit I’m going to die if I don’t get Jung Yunho soon gushing. It became intolerable.”

“It was not intolerable,” Jaejoong muttered into Yunho’s arm, his face half hidden. Yunho chuckled.

“Jaejoong,” Yoochun chided, “I heard your gushing for one semester and it was intolerable. I can’t even imagine what three years of it did to their poor ears.”

“Shut up.”

“My ears are forever damaged,” Changmin agreed, grinning, “Anyhow, Junsu and I decided that we were going to do something about it.”

“I can’t believe you’re telling them this.”

“Jaejoong, hush,” Yunho said again, a small bit of his professor voice sneaking into his tone. Jaejoong sunk down further, pouting.

“So, we thought we’d...lead him on a little you know?”

Jaejoong moaned.

“Jaejoong, seriously. The more you interrupt me the longer this is going to take. So, being the positively brilliant individuals that we are, we decided to 

 

(I cut this because I couldn’t think of anything they did. I thought I was going to, but when it came down to it...nothing.)

~~~~

Wheeling Yejin into the hospital:

A nurse walked up to them and Changmin felt Yejin stiffen in the wheelchair. He patted her should gently.

“Can I help you, look look a little lost,” the nurse tilted her head at Changmin.

“Worried, proud, first child,” He spit out before he could even think of a proper reply.

 

~~~~

No particular place

Heechul grabbed Jaejoong’s arm as they walked across campus, freezing mid step. “Who. Is. That?”

Jaejoong looked in the direction he was pointing and squinted. “Umm...a professor, I think?”

“I can see that. Who is he? He wasn’t here when I was.”

“Ah...” Jaejoong bit his lip, trying to place the face. “I think he’s a linguistics professor...Han...Hangeng?”

A smile settled on Heechul’s lips. “I’m going to go introduce myself.”

(What? Me? Hanchul bias? Of course not...)

~~~~

Yoochun calling Yunjae after the disastrous end to Yoosujin shopping: (sort of rewritten, but not really. you might notice a few sentences that sound familiar)

 

Jaejoong missed several phone calls from Yoochun because Yunho had him pressed down on the bed (their bed, really, or at least, everyone had been referring to it as “their” bed and “their” room,) murmuring sweet, seductive words into his ear (hotel room, you, me, tonight, no kids, kissing, touching, sucking, whatever your heart desires).

"Yunho," he murmured, as his phone buzzed for the fifth time. He tried to reach the nightstand where it vibrated incessantly but Yunho grabbed his lover’s hand, bringing the fingers to his lips. 

"Don't," the quiet pleading sent electricity down Jaejoong's spine.

"If we're doing what you're promising for later, now, then why are you even bothering to promise it for later?" Jaejoong hoped the sentence had made sense; Yunho’s hips were starting to move against Jaejoong’s and rational thought was escaping him.

The hands that had slid beneath his clothes stopped their caressing, and Yunho's face appeared in front of his, an expression of disbelief written on his face. "Obviously because it allows for us to do them more than once," he said.

Jaejoong burst out laughing.

"What?" Yunho pouted, sitting up slightly.

“Can I please just make sure no one’s dying?”

A long sigh. “I suppose so.”

Yunho let his head rest against Jaejoong, murmuring contentedly as Jaejoong’s threaded one hand into his hair while reaching for his phone. 

“God, Jaejoong, I thought you’d never pick up.”

“Is someone dead?” Jaejoong tried to keep a quiver out of his voice as Yunho began to kiss down his chest.

“No, but-”

“Then I’m hanging up.” Let me not be moaning, Yoochun will never let me live it down.

“SangmiknowsYejiniswithus.”

“What?” Jaejoong tried to sit up, making Yunho’s face bump awkardly into his stomach.

“We took Yejin shopping.”

“You took Yejin shopping?”

“They what?” Yunho asked, his jaw dropping. “Give me the phone. Of all the stupid, idiotic-”

“Yunho, hush,” Jaejoong waved Yunho’s hand away, “Yoochun, why did you take her out? I thought we agreed that she should stay indoors.”

“You and Yunho both gave her money!”

“Yes, for a later date Park Yoochun! God, I’ll yell at you later, what did you say about Sangmi?”

“She saw Yejin at the store, tried to drag her out.”

“Is Yejin alright?”

“A little shaken up, but Junsu and Leeteuk are with her. She’ll be fine. Look...as we were leaving...I think Sangmi might have threatened us.”

“What do you mean threaten?”

“She said that ‘we’d regret this’ and that ‘we’d be hearing from them’.”

“She said the same thing to me earlier today, don’t let it bother you.”

“I know, but...you know, just in case.”

“Do you want us to go over there?”

“I don’t think you have to, Leeteuk really is something else. Besides you uh...sound occupied.

“I’m going to kill you.”

“Whatever. I love you.”

“Love you too,” Jaejoong murmured and fell back against the pillows with a sigh, phone still in hand.

“You didn’t give me the phone,” Yunho complained, tracing lines on Jaejoong’s bare chest.

“You can be mad at them later, Yunho, there are other things your mouth should be doing and other sounds your voice should be making right now.”

“Oh, now you’re all eager.”

 

~~~~

Deleted bit of Changmin!wrath after Yejin’s crisis (jail incident)

 

"Firstly, why am I always left out of everything?"

"You're not," Jaejoong replied, knowing exactly what Changmin was talking about, "You were playing a very crucial role by watching the kids."

"But you didn't tell me what was going on," Changmin argued, "I was left in the dark and I didn't know where anyone was and I want an apology."

He was pouting. Heechul was bent just so over a test, his back to Changmin, trying very hard not to laugh.

Jaejoong sighed. "Fine. I'm sorry we didn't tell you anything last night. Next time, we shall put the crisis on hold so we can explain everything."

 

~~~~

Changed scenario from when Yunho complains that he has no phone calls about his case

After two hours of a kiss-stealing Yunho absent from his life, Jaejoong decided to undergo a search. Yunho and Heechul had long since finished their allotted tests (Yunho had even done some of Jaejoong’s, but the other two were a bit more practiced than he was.) For the first time in his life he found himself wanting a distraction from work (said distraction being Yunho, his mind automatically supplied, and Jaejoong didn't bother denying it.)

Jaejoong found the professor half asleep on their bed and staring blankly at the cell phone in his hand.

Jaejoong clambered onto the covers and tucked Yunho into his arms, the professor moving rather lethargically to make room for him. "Are you alright?" Jaejoong asked, as Yunho laid his head on Jaejoong's chest, "You stopped coming to distract me."

(I only saved this cuz I liked the images it made in my head.)

~~~~

Changed scenario: Changmin figuring out that Yunho resigned:

 

Jaejoong was grading a final (they were spread out on a table from all five of Yunho's classes, himself, Yunho, and Heechul having divvied them up evenly for correcting,) when Changmin came to stand in front of all three of them.

Changmin turned his attention to Yunho. "I was just double-checking my schedule for this upcoming semester, like a good student," he began, and Jaejoong put his pen down, sitting back, thinking that he knew where this was going. Yunho apparently had the same thought because he also sat back. "And I noticed that the class I was going to have with you isn't yours anymore."

Heechul was smirking, "Does that mean I get to have you?" He asked.

Changmin ignored him. "And because I was curious I went to check the course catalog and found that you aren't teaching any classes."

There was a thump from the living room and Junsu appeared in the door. "Sorry, what?"

Yunho sighed. "I resigned."

"You what?"

Jaejoong wasn't sure who said it.

"Why?" Changmin asked.

"I took a case," Yunho replied.

The story spilled out, slowly at first, ending with Changmin's jaw on the floor and Junsu staring in fascination. "That was your case?" He whispered, "Oh my God I can't believe it. Wait, that’s a lie. Yes, I can."

“Isn’t it heroic?” Heechul quipped, and ducked away from Jaejoong’s fist.

“You really aren’t going to teach?” Changmin asked, sounding terribly deflated.

“I’m really not,” Yunho replied. “I’m sorry.”

Changmin sighed. “It’s okay, I understand.”

Heechul turned around and narrowed his eyes. “Don’t go getting any funny ideas. Like slacking off because it’s your senior year or anything. You realize I’m his replacement.”

“I’m not stupid,” Changmin retorted, and turned on his heel.

Jaejoong foresaw a wonderful upcoming semester.

 

~~~~

Changed scenario after Seungyon’s nightmare

“Jaejoong?”

“He’s already sleeping,” Yunho whispered quietly, “what is it?”

Seungyon turned a little, “If...if umma died do you think Jaejoong would take care of us?”

“Of course,” Yunho replied easily.

“Would you?” Seungyon asked, his eyes full of innocence and honesty.

“Would you want me to?”

“Yes.”

“Then I would,” Yunho moved closer and put his arm around the boy, letting his hand rest on Jaejoong’s waist, “Go to sleep. You want to be awake when your umma gets here in the morning.”

Seungyon mumbled something that sounded affirmative and turned into Yunho further, snuggling up against the professor’s chest.

Yunho’s heart flopped.

(akdfja;dkkl it should be obvious why I kept this. I didn't want to be morbid though, which is why I changed it.)

~~~~

After finding out about the case being false

 

Yunho was livid. He knew with absolutely certainty that he had never been more upset about anything in his entire life. Jaejoong looked just as upset as he was.

“Heechul,” Changmin said from where he was calmly sipping his tea, “your pacing is only serving to irritate everyone. Stop.”

“Well it’s keeping me from biting heads off. Decide which is more important.”

Changmin made a face but he said nothing else.

“The most frustrating thing about this is that I can’t do anything. I don’t know who this was.”

“I could probably hazard a guess,” Yoochun grumbled, picking at the fraying edge of his sweatshirt sleeve.

“I know you’re all thinking it, but it doesn’t make sense. I quit before we found out about Yejin and what her family did to her. They have no motive to start anything.”


End file.
